Information for the public

Treatment for primary plasma cell leukaemia

Treatment for primary plasma cell leukaemia

If you have primary plasma cell leukaemia, you may be offered chemotherapy as your first treatment, or you may be offered chemotherapy and an autologous stem cell transplant.

Questions to ask about treatments for primary plasma cell leukaemia

  • Why have you decided to offer me this particular type of treatment?

  • What are the pros and cons of this treatment?

  • What will it involve?

  • How will it help me? What effect will it have on my symptoms and everyday life? What sort of improvements might I expect?

  • How long will it take to have an effect?

  • Will I have any problems if I don't take my medicine?

  • Might I have problems when I have finished taking my medicine?

  • Are there any risks with this treatment?

  • Could you tell me more about what a stem cell transplant involves?

  • What are the side effects of an autologous stem cell transplant?

  • What are my options for taking treatments other than the one you have offered me?

  • When should I start to feel better and what should I do if I don't start to feel better by then?

  • Are there any clinical trials of new treatments I could try?

  • Where can I (and my family/carers) find more information?

  • Information Standard