What is multiple myeloma?
Multiple myeloma is a rare blood cancer that affects your plasma cells. Plasma cells are white blood cells and part of your immune system. Plasma cells (sometimes called B-cells) make antibodies. These antibodies, called immunoglobulins, help fight infection.
Multiple myeloma happens when healthy cells turn into abnormal cells that multiply and produce abnormal antibodies called M proteins. This change starts a cascade of medical issues and conditions that can affect your bones, your kidneys and your body’s ability to make healthy white and red blood cells and platelets.
Some people have multiple myeloma without symptoms but blood tests show signs of conditions that may become multiple myeloma. In this case, healthcare providers may recommend watchful waiting or monitoring your overall health rather than starting treatment. Healthcare providers can’t cure multiple myeloma, but they can treat related conditions and symptoms and slow its progress.
Is multiple myeloma a fatal disease?
There’s no known cure for multiple myeloma. Healthcare providers provide treatments to help people live as long as possible while having quality of life. But there is a possibility for prolonged remission. A remission is time after treatment when you don’t have multiple myeloma signs or symptoms.
Is multiple myeloma a common disease?
Multiple myeloma is rare, affecting about 7 people out of 100,000 people each year. Healthcare providers estimate about 100,000 people in the United States have multiple myeloma.
Who is affected by multiple myeloma?
Multiple myeloma affects more men than women. It affects twice as many people who are Black as it does people who are of other races. Most people with multiple myeloma are diagnosed between 40 and 70. The median age of diagnosis is between 65 and 74.
How does multiple myeloma affect my body?
Some people don’t have symptoms but tests show they have conditions that may become multiple myeloma.
For example, a bone marrow aspiration or bone marrow biopsy may show abnormal plasma cells and genetic mutations, which could mean you have smoldering multiple myeloma (SMM) — an early, precancerous form of multiple myeloma. Likewise, blood and urine tests may show proteins made by abnormal plasma cells. This is a condition called monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS).
Multiple myeloma symptoms develop over time and may resemble other medical conditions or diseases. Here are some of the conditions linked to multiple myeloma and their causes:
- Anemia: You don’t have enough red blood cells because multiplying abnormal plasma cells don’t leave room for your red blood cells.
- Bacterial infection, particularly pneumonia: Like red blood cells, abnormal plasma cells are multiplying and crowding healthy white blood cells that fight infection.
- Thrombocytopenia: You don’t have enough platelets — the cells that help your blood to clot — because abnormal plasma cells crowd out those platelets and keep your bone marrow from making enough platelets.
- Bone pain/bone fracture: Bone pain and/or fracture can happen if abnormal plasma cells destroy bone tissue, causing a soft spot in your bone. These are osteolytic lesions.
- Kidney problems/failure: Your kidneys filter waste and toxins. Abnormal plasma cells make M proteins that block the filtering process and damage your kidneys.
- Amyloidosis: This disease happens when abnormal proteins (amyloid proteins) build up in your organs.
- Hypercalcemia: This condition happens when damaged or weakened bones release too much calcium into your bloodstream.
- Hyperviscosity syndrome: M proteins — proteins made by abnormal plasma cells — thicken your blood. Your heart has to work harder to pump blood through your body.
- Cryoglobulinemia: Multiple myeloma can make proteins in your blood clump together when it’s cold.
