What is Multiple Myeloma?

March is Myeloma Awareness Month, a time to shed light on multiple myeloma, a blood cancer that starts in plasma cells. Multiple myeloma is uncommon, with the average lifetime risk in the United States about 1 in 103 for men and about 1 in 131 for women. 

Normal plasma cells are found in your bone marrow and play a critical role in the function of your immune system, making antibodies that fight off infections. Multiple myeloma is caused by these normal plasma cells multiplying at a rapid rate, which blocks healthy blood cells that help fight infections and other diseases. When Multiple myeloma is present, the cancerous cells produce an abnormal antibody called the ‘M protein,’ which can affect your normal blood cells and cause many multiple myeloma symptoms. 

Some patients with Multiple myeloma will experience little to no symptoms, while others might have bone pain or weakness, kidney problems, severe nerve damage, low blood counts, or a variety of other symptoms. Here’s what to look out for: 

Signs & Symptoms of Multiple Myeloma

  • Bone pain: Bone pain could be in any bone, but is most commonly present in the middle and/or lower back, rib cage, hips, and skull. The pain typically ranges from mild to severe, depending on the stage of multiple myeloma. 
  • Bone weakness: Bone weakness can occur throughout the entire body, also known as osteoporosis, or in locations where there is a plasmacytoma. 
  • Bone fractures: Myeloma cells can cause broken bones and pathological fractures. 
  • Anemia: Anemia is caused by a reduced number of red blood cells, and can lead to weakness, shortness of breath, fatigue, and dizziness.
  • Increased infections: Multiple myeloma causes a weakened immune system, which can lead to a higher risk of getting sick and developing infections. Common myeloma infections include bladder or kidney infections, pneumonia, and sinusitis.
  • Nerve damage: In some cases, the abnormal proteins produced by myeloma cells can cause nerve damage, leading to numbness or weakness in the arms, legs, and face. This can feel like a “pins and needles” sensation, also known as peripheral neuropathy. 
  • Kidney damage: Multiple Myeloma can cause kidney damage, which can produce swelling in the body, specifically the legs. 
  • High blood levels of calcium: High levels of calcium in the blood, known as hypercalcemia, can cause extreme thirst, frequent urination, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, fatigue, and confusion.  

Although the exact cause of multiple myeloma is unknown, there are risk factors to look for: 

    • Age: Over age 65
  • Sex:  Men are slightly more likely to develop myeloma.
  • Race: African Americans are twice as likely to develop multiple myeloma than white Americans.
  • Family history: Multiple myeloma runs in some families. You’re more likely to develop myeloma if you have a parent or sibling who has it. 
  • Obesity: Some research shows that being overweight increases a person’s risk of developing myeloma. 
  • Other plasma cell diseases: You’re at a higher risk of developing multiple myeloma if you have monoclonal gammopathy, solitary plasmacytoma, or smoldering myeloma.     
  • Radiation exposure

Sources: 

American Cancer Society: Multiple Myeloma

 

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