A Clinical academic group (CAG) for multiple myeloma research 

Multiple myeloma is the second most common blood cancer in Norway, affecting approximately 600 new patients each year. Median survival after diagnosis has improved over recent decades but is still only 5–7 years. Patients experience significant morbidity throughout the disease course, highlighting a substantial need for new and improved treatments.

Multiple myeloma is primarily a disease of the elderly. As life expectancy increases and the proportion of older individuals grows, the number of patients with myeloma is expected to rise significantly in the coming decades. Patients typically receive multiple lines of therapy over extended periods, making treatment increasingly complex.

Not all patients in our health region have access to clinical trials. As a result, some patients miss the opportunity to receive new and non-reimbursed therapies during their disease course, contributing to inequalities in healthcare.

Myeloma treatment has become highly complex, and there is therefore a need for comprehensive education programs for patients, nurses, and physicians.

A Clinical Academic Group (CAG) is a model and framework for collaboration between clinicians in healthcare institutions and academic researchers at universities and colleges, with the overarching goal of accelerating the implementation of new knowledge into clinical practice. Within a CAG, new ideas in research, innovation, education, and competence development are developed collaboratively. We were granted CAG status in 2021, and our group is a collaboration between all hospitals in the region and NTNU.

The goals of this CAG are to

1. Identify new therapeutic targets that can improve survival and quality of life for patients.
2. Establish a regional registry of treatment and disease course for multiple myeloma in Central Norway.
3. Increase participation in clinical trials regardless of geographic location within the region.
4. Develop educational programs for patients and healthcare professionals to improve knowledge of the latest advances in myeloma research and treatment.

We believe these initiatives will lead to improved treatment, better quality of life, and increased survival for patients with multiple myeloma.