Closing the Gap Between Myeloma Science and Access: Doris Hansen, MD

Multiple myeloma treatment has advanced dramatically over the past decade and a half, with therapies now capable of extending survival well beyond what was once possible and, in some cases, producing functional cures. Yet according to Doris Hansen, MD, of Moffitt Cancer Center, the pace of scientific progress has outrun the health care system’s ability to deliver it equitably. In a recent interview, Hansen explained that many patients eligible for highly effective options such as chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy and bispecific antibodies still face financial and logistical hurdles that delay or prevent treatment, and that treatment variability across practices often reflects differences in local resources and clinician experience rather than any disagreement in the underlying evidence.

Hansen’s comments followed her role co-leading “Bridging the Gaps in Health Equity and Access in Multiple Myeloma,” a daylong meeting hosted by The American Journal of Managed Care^® on May 2, 2026, in Tampa, Florida. She led the sessions alongside Peter Voorhees, MD, of Atrium Health Levine Cancer Institute and Wake Forest University School of Medicine. The event brought together leading myeloma specialists from academic and community settings to discuss both newly diagnosed and relapsed/refractory disease, culminating in “nonconsensus discussions” that tackled unresolved, emerging questions rather than settled guidance.

In the relapsed/refractory session, panelists debated where antibody-drug conjugates, cereblon E3 ligase modulatory drugs, and oral regimens fit as bispecifics, and CAR T-cell therapy move into earlier lines of treatment, along with barriers such as ocular monitoring requirements and the practical challenges facing patients in rural or underserved communities. Hansen highlighted that Moffitt has begun using social determinants of health measures, including deprivation and vulnerability indices, to better understand access barriers among its patient population—noting that patients travel a median of roughly 70 miles to reach the center.

As Hansen put it, bringing academic and community perspectives together is key to identifying where standardized guidance could most improve care for patients navigating an increasingly complex and costly multiple myeloma treatment landscape.