Getting a cancer diagnosis is a common fear in our time. In the case of multiple myeloma, although there is no cure yet, there are treatments that may extend your life several years, and can assist in keeping up your quality of life.
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Multiple myeloma affects thousands of people worldwide and is the second most common cancer of the blood, next to non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Multiple Myeloma forms in a type of white blood cell called plasma cells. Normally, plasma cells are found in the soft insides of your bones called marrow. In a healthy individual, plasma cells help fight infections by making antibodies that recognize and attack germs. In a person with multiple myeloma, plasma cells become cancerous cells and begin to crowd out healthy plasma cells, which may begin to erode the hard bone area around the marrow making the individual susceptible to bone lesions among other symptoms.
People suffering from multiple myeloma may be asymptomatic or exhibit any of the following symptoms:
- Anemia
- Blood thickening
- Bleeding
- Nerve damage
- Skin lesions
- Enlarged tongue (macroglossia)
- Bone tenderness or pain
- Weakness or tiredness
- Infections
- Pathologic bone fractures
- Spinal cord compression
- Kidney failure
How is multiple myeloma diagnosed?
People suspected to have multiple myeloma usually undergo the following tests to receive a definite diagnosis:
- Bone marrow aspiration and biopsy- A sample is taken from the pelvis bone. The cells from the marrow are studied by a pathologist to determine if there are abnormal types or numbers of cells.
- Cytogenetic testing – The bone marrow aspirate is also studied for more detailed characteristics such as the presence or absence of abnormal numbers or types of chromosomes
- Blood testing and urine testing by several methods can determine levels and types of monoclonal protein (M protein), protein produced by cancerous plasma cells.
Stages of Multiple Myeloma
The International Staging System for multiple myeloma relies on two main factors: the levels of albumin, the main protein of human blood plasma, and beta-2-microglobulin, a common marker used to determine the presence of multiple myeloma in the blood.
Multiple myeloma commonly has three stages:
Stage I
- Relatively small number of myeloma cells.
- Levels of beta-2 microglobulin may be slightly higher than normal
- Levels of albumin may have decreased.
- Little anemia
- Small amount of M protein
- No bone damage
Stage II
- Intermediate stage of multiple myeloma determined if the levels tested fall between the standards set for stage I and stage III.
- Marked by more anemia and M protein presence
- Bone damage
- Number of myeloma cells is considered high.
- High levels of beta-2 micro globulin
- Low levels of albumin.
- Still more M protein and anemia
- Signs of kidney damage
Treating multiple myeloma
As aforementioned, there is no cure to multiple myeloma, however, there are methods to decrease the occurrence and severity of the symptoms and prolong life.
- Combination of drugs administered by intravenous injection or taken as pills
- Stem cell transplant- administration of bone marrow cells
- Chemotherapy
- Radiation therapy to repair painful areas of bone damage
- Broken bones can be surgically repaired in many cases.
Multiple myeloma can be a painful disease. However, a timely diagnosis can greatly improve a persons chance of remission and longevity.