Advice for the Patient Starting Treatment With Talquetamab

Alan Plisskin emphasizes the critical importance of maintaining a positive attitude throughout treatment, believing that cells respond better to positive mental states and that optimism contributes to treatment success. His advice centers on patience and persistence, acknowledging that while adverse effects can be challenging initially, they improve significantly over time. He stresses the temporary nature of most toxicities and the excellent quality of life achievable once the initial adjustment period passes.

Mary Kay Yamamoto’s advice focuses on thorough preparation and knowledge acquisition, emphasizing that being informed about expected adverse effects makes the experience more manageable. She recommends asking questions, staying alert to patient changes, and maintaining detailed records of symptoms and adverse effects. Her philosophy centers on being prepared, reducing anxiety, and improving the overall treatment experience for patients and caregivers.

Both perspectives highlight the "wavelike" nature of talquetamab adverse effects, where multiple toxicities may appear simultaneously but resolve together over the first few months of treatment. Their combined advice emphasizes that surviving the initial adverse effect period leads to substantial improvements in quality of life, with Plisskin noting that patients eventually "feel like a normal person." The transition from biweekly to monthly dosing further improves the treatment experience as patients demonstrate disease response.