It’s not his first Hall of Fame honor, but facing cancer has given this one a deeper meaning.

Wayne revealed last fall that he had been diagnosed with multiple myeloma and had begun treatment.

Multiple myeloma affects the immune system and can cause symptoms such as bone pain, fatigue, and cognitive challenges. While it isn’t curable, it can be treated and managed with intensive therapy.

“Multiple myeloma is a cancer where plasma cells grow out of proportion to the other cells. And because of that, they can cause different symptoms, and that’s how we diagnose it,” explained Dr. Nina Shah, a hematologist at UCSF.

WATCH: Diagnosing Multiple Myeloma.

“I’ve been undergoing treatment for some time now, and while there is no ‘cure’ for this type of cancer, it looks like I’m well on my way to remission. My prognosis is promising,” Wayne said during his radio show, according to Sippin on Country.

Wayne said he would undergo an autologous stem cell transplant and remained hopeful about his future.

An autologous stem cell transplant is a procedure that gives a patient an infusion of their own healthy stem cells — the early blood cells in their bone marrow that grow into infection-fighting white blood cells, oxygen-carrying red blood cells, and blood-clotting platelets.

WATCH: How Does a Stem Cell Transplant Work?

“I’m surrounded by a team of excellent doctors and medical professionals who are taking great care of me, and I have complete faith in their expertise. But I’ll need a little time to rest and recover,” Wayne said.

WATCH: Standard Risk vs. High Risk Multiple Myeloma

Risk level in multiple myeloma is determined by specific genetic changes:

• Standard risk often involves extra copies of certain chromosomes.
• High risk is typically linked to the loss of part of chromosome 17.

These differences influence how aggressive the cancer is. While the induction and transplant phases of treatment are similar for all patients, the maintenance phase varies based on risk.

Understanding a Stem Cell Transplant Procedure

“The purpose of an autologous transplant is to give your body high‑dose chemotherapy,” explains Dr. Caitlin Costello, a hematologist/oncologist at UC San Diego Health.

The treatment is so intense that without returning stem cells afterward, “your body would never grow bone marrow again.”

In an autologous transplant, the stem cells come from you. Your care team collects them about a week before chemotherapy begins.

WATCH: The Stem Cell Transplant, a Day-by-Day Guide

“Once we have adequate stem cells, we can throw them in the freezer and save them for when we’re ready,” Dr. Costello says. These cells are stored in a medical‑grade freezer with a preservative to keep them safe and fully functional.

Then comes what Dr. Costello calls “the true magic” of the process: a powerful chemotherapy regimen designed to wipe out cancer cells wherever they’re hiding. Many patients receive a four‑drug combination known as BEAM — carmustine, etoposide, cytarabine, and melphalan. This high‑dose therapy acts like “hitting the reset button,” she says, clearing lymphoma cells from the blood and bone marrow.

WATCH: Coping With Stem Cell Transplant Side Effects

The chemotherapy is typically given over five days, either in the hospital or through daily visits. Day six is a planned “day of rest,” when patients usually still feel well because side effects haven’t yet set in. A few days later, symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or mouth sores may appear, and doctors can offer supportive treatments to ease them.

“Once a patient has received this therapy, their bone marrow will have a dramatic decrease of myeloma cells and healthy cells,” adds Dr. Jing Ye of the University of Michigan Health.

WATCH: What is an Autologous Stem Cell Transplant?

The goal of reinfusing stem cells is to help the body rebuild its blood counts after the chemotherapy has done its job.

Day seven is transplant day. The frozen stem cells arrive packed in dry ice — “it literally looks like frozen bags of blood,” Dr. Costello says. The cells are thawed and infused just like a blood transfusion. After chemotherapy has wiped out your natural stem cells, this infusion “rescues” you, allowing your bone marrow to recover.

From there, your role is mostly to wait.

“The next steps are just letting those stem cells get in there, get comfortable, and start growing,” Dr. Costello says. If all goes well, they’ll repopulate your bone marrow and give your body a fresh start.

Understanding Multiple Myeloma

Multiple myeloma is a rare and incurable type of blood cancer. When you have this cancer, white blood cells called plasma cells (the cells that make antibodies to fight infections) in your bone marrow grow out of proportion to healthy cells.

Those abnormal cells leave less room for your body’s healthy blood cells to fight infections. They can also spread to other parts of your body and cause problems with organs like your kidneys.

“In general, having blood cancer means that your bone marrow is not functioning correctly,” Dr. Shah explained to SurvivorNet.

Known risk factors for multiple myeloma include your age, family history of cancer, and whether you have monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS). MGUS is a condition that occurs when you have too much monoclonal protein in your blood and bone marrow.

Most people diagnosed are in their 60s. However, people younger than 60 can also get this type of cancer, and if you have a close relative with multiple myeloma, that can increase your risk.

WATCH: Recognizing multiple myeloma symptoms.

Multiple myeloma can cause symptoms such as weakness, dizziness, bone pain, and confusion, among other symptoms.

Doctors use blood and urine tests and imaging tests such as X-rays or MRIs to help diagnose multiple myeloma and to guide treatment options. Ultimately, a bone marrow biopsy will confirm the diagnosis.

Treatment Options for Multiple Myeloma

Treatment for multiple myeloma depends on your risk level. Some patients are considered standard risk, while others are high-risk. Your risk depends on irregularities in the chromosomes of their cancer cells.

The standard treatment approach for multiple myeloma goes from the induction phase, the stem-cell transplant phase, and then the maintenance phase.

• Induction Phase: This phase is the same regardless of risk. It consists of triplet drug therapy, which includes an immunomodulatory drug (Revlimid or Pomalyst), a proteasome inhibitor (Kyprolis, Velcade, or Ninlaro), and a steroid (dexamethasone or prednisone).
• Stem-Cell Transplant Phase: This phase is the same regardless of risk. It consists of chemotherapy coupled with a stem-cell transplant.
• Maintenance Phase: This phase will differ based on the risk profile.

Maintenance treatment is essential because it keeps the cancer at bay. Since multiple myeloma patients face the risk of relapse even if the cancer is put into remission, maintenance treatment helps keep the cancer in remission for longer periods.

This drug activates immune cells that kill bacteria, viruses, and cancers. It also reduces vital blood flow to cancerous tumors, helping kill them. However, some patients don’t tolerate lenalidomide well because of some of its potential side effects, including nausea, vomiting, swelling of the limbs and skin, and liver problems.

When Multiple Myeloma Relapses, You Still Have Options

When your multiple myeloma comes back within about a year, your disease is generally classified as ‘high risk.’

When multiple myeloma returns after treatment, “It usually means that there were residual cells, even in very small numbers. They were either resistant to the treatment from the start, or they acquired resistance as the treatment was growing,” Dr. Anderson explains to SurvivorNet.

In other words, not every myeloma cell in your body is precisely the same. Some start with a set of mutations that can give them resistance to treatments and make them more likely to relapse, whereas others develop mutations as a result of treatment.

WATCH: What Is the Standard of Care for the First Relapse?

The Signs of a Multiple Myeloma Relapse

• Increased levels of monoclonal antibodies: myeloma cells are cancerous plasma cells in the bone marrow that overgrow and produce abnormal proteins. These abnormal proteins are released in the blood and can be detected by physicians. When the levels of these increase substantially, that can be a sign that multiple myeloma has relapsed.
• Increase in plasma cells in the bone marrow: Oncologists can use magnetic imaging, like MRI or PET scans, to see if there is a greater than normal level of plasma cells in the bone marrow, which is typical of overly dividing myeloma cells.
• Bone fractures and lesions: Myeloma cells activate the cells that break down bones and deactivate the cells that build up bones, which can result in fractures or small holes in bones. Oncologists can use X-rays or CT scans to detect bone damage indicative of relapse.

When or if multiple myeloma returns, remember that many treatment options exist. Oncologists may turn to therapies approved only for clinical trials, namely CAR T-cell therapy

New Treatment Option for When Multiple Myeloma Returns

In March 2026, the FDA approved the combination of teclistamab and daratumumab — often referred to as Tec Dara — for certain patients with multiple myeloma.

Teclistamab is part of a newer class of treatments called bispecific antibodies, which help the immune system better recognize and attack myeloma cells. By directing immune cells toward the cancer, these therapies can lower disease levels and keep the cancer controlled for longer, giving patients more time before needing another treatment.

WATCH: An Option When Multiple Myeloma Returns

Dr. Sagar Lonial, chief medical officer at Emory Winship Cancer Institute, tells SurvivorNet that the two drugs appear to work especially well together.

“It’s thought that the combination of teclistamab and daratumumab has synergy. Daratumumab eliminates some of the cells that may limit the activity of the bispecific antibody, releasing more effective T cell activity,” he explains.

“It’s immune therapy on steroids, if you will.”

For patients, the combination may offer:

• Longer periods of disease control
• Deeper treatment responses
• Another option if the cancer returns after earlier therapy

The FDA granted approval through its National Priority Voucher program, which accelerates review for promising treatments targeting serious illnesses.

As with most cancer therapies, side effects are possible. Tec Dara can cause cytokine release syndrome (CRS), an immune reaction that may lead to symptoms such as fever or low blood pressure. Signs of CRS can include:

• Fever
• Low oxygen levels
• Chills
• Low blood pressure
• Increased heart rate
• Headache
• Elevated liver enzymes

Questions for Your Doctor

If you are facing a multiple myeloma diagnosis, you may be interested in the treatment Tom Brokaw has had success with. Here are some questions to help you begin the conversation with your doctor:

• What stage is my multiple myeloma?
• What are my treatment options?
• Am I a good candidate for Revlimid?
• What are the possible side effects of your recommended treatment?
• Who will be part of my healthcare team, and what does each member do?
• Can you refer me to a social worker or psychologist who can help me cope with my diagnosis?

Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.

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