Canadian perspectives in multiple myeloma on the use of steroids in clinical practice based on patient and healthcare provider interviews

Farah McKenzie; Gabriel Gazzé; Joanne Hewitt; Kari Kolm; Debra Pollock; Suzanne Rowland; Tina Crosbie

doi:10.3389/fonc.2022.1061417

Canadian perspectives in multiple myeloma on the use of steroids in clinical practice based on patient and healthcare provider interviews

Front Oncol. 2022 Dec 8:12:1061417. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2022.1061417. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Farah McKenzie¹, Gabriel Gazzé², Joanne Hewitt³, Kari Kolm⁴, Debra Pollock⁵, Suzanne Rowland⁶, Tina Crosbie⁷

Affiliations

¹ BC Cancer - Prince George Centre, Prince George, BC, Canada.
² Royal Victoria Hospital, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada.
³ Hematology and Oncology Department, Cross Cancer Institute, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
⁴ Malignant Hematology Department, Hamilton Health Sciences, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
⁵ Pharmacy Department, Moncton Hospital, Moncton, NB, Canada.
⁶ Pharmacy Department, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada.
⁷ The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON, Canada.

Abstract

Corticosteroid (steroid) medications are associated with challenging adverse effects that can negatively impact patient quality of life. However, owing to a long legacy of effective use in treatment protocols, they remain a cornerstone of multiple myeloma (MM) care. We conducted a roundtable with Canadian healthcare providers (HCPs) with diverse healthcare backgrounds and involvement in MM care as well as with patients with MM. Our goal was to develop clear guidance for steroid management aimed at improving patient quality of life, taking into account patient perspective and experiences with managing the disease. Our recommendations, which are based on the insights acquired from this discussion, can be categorized to the following areas: steroid prescribing, dosing, and modifications; managing adverse effects; and patient-HCP communication. These recommendations can be used by the entire multi-disciplinary hematology team to improve patient quality of life while being treated with steroid medication for multiple myeloma.

Keywords: adverse effects (AE); clinical practice; corticosteroids; multiple myeloma; patient’s quality of life; steroid management; treatment recommendations.