Multiple myeloma, also known as Kahler's disease, is a form of plasma cell cancer (plasma cells are a type of white blood cell) in the bone marrow. In 2021, 1,387* people were diagnosed with multiple myeloma. During multiple myeloma month, as well as throughout the rest of the year, we create awareness of this disease.
There are many different treatments for multiple myeloma, but unfortunately the disease is not yet curable. In recent years, more and more new medicines have been developed for multiple myeloma to tackle this disease more powerfully and cause fewer side effects. The average life expectancy after diagnosis has also increased in recent years.
Amgen is committed to this patient group on a daily basis and strives to achieve the best possible outcomes for them. This goes far beyond the development of innovative medicines. We provide services, advice and new solutions that contribute to better and more efficient care. We also do this for multiple myeloma patients.
In addition, Amgen is committed to this patient group by cycling the 11-Cities Cycling Tour: a scenic route of 100 or 235 kilometers along the 'Frisian Eleven Cities'. We do this to raise as many donors as possible for Matchis in order to help people with blood diseases.
Watch the aftermovie here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zaA7XdDbNzo
BTW Do you know why multiple myeloma is also called Kahler's disease? That's because Austrian internist Otto Kahler was the first person to describe the disease in 1889. All over the world, the disease is called multiple myeloma, so only in the Netherlands is it also called Kahler's disease.
*Source: IKNL/NKR: https://nkr-cijfers.iknl.nl/#/viewer/fe4db0a6-0f0d-4171-b20e-229dbabe6da4, Accessed March 20th, 2023. These figures relate to preliminary data.
