Multiple Myeloma: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment

What is Multiple Myeloma?

Multiple myeloma is a type of cancer that starts in the plasma cells, which are the cells in the bone marrow that make antibodies. The bone marrow is the soft, spongy tissue inside bones. It makes blood cells for the body. The function of bone marrow is to produce blood cells. The bone marrow is also a place where blood cells are stored and mature.

Plasma cells are white blood cells that produce antibodies, which are proteins that can fight infections. Antibodies are made to fight different types of germs (such as bacteria or viruses). Antibodies are specific, meaning they are designed to fight a specific germ.

In multiple myeloma, an abnormal protein called ‘M protein’ is produced by these cells, and the excess M protein causes them to overproduce. The result is an accumulation of abnormal cells in the bone marrow, which can hinder the production of essential blood cells, such as red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets.

What are the Most Common Symptoms?

Although many people who have multiple myeloma have no symptoms at first, others may have symptoms that range from mild to severe. In fact, it’s not uncommon to have a few symptoms at first, then have them go away and then return again. And, unfortunately, your symptoms may not match the type of myeloma you have.

Multiple myeloma can also cause other symptoms. These may include: 

• Swelling of the legs and/or the feet 
• Increased tiredness
• Weakness 
• Bone pain (may be severe) 
• Weight loss 
• Anemia (low red blood cell count) 

Let’s Understand What Causes Multiple Myeloma

Multiple myeloma is caused when the body is not able to produce enough new blood cells. This can lead to anemia and infection, increasing the risk of: 

• Heart problems 
• Stroke 
• Kidney damage 
• Infections (pneumonia, UTIs, etc.) 
• Neuropathy 
• Weakness 
• Fatigue

Multiple myeloma is an incurable disease, but there are ways to manage the symptoms and increase the quality of life. As a result, the normal protection against infection and bleeding does not work well. The body becomes prone to infection and may bleed spontaneously. The cancerous cells also cause the bone marrow to enlarge and thicken.

Treatment

Multiple myeloma, along with other types of blood cancer, is a disease that is often misdiagnosed or not diagnosed at all. This is because the disease is rare and the symptoms can be vague and resemble other illnesses. Many people who are diagnosed with multiple myeloma are in stage 3 or 4 of cancer, which is why it is important to catch it as early as possible.

Since it is a rare cancer, its survival rate is just between 50% to 75%. This is due to early detection and treatment. Multiple myeloma can be treated by: 

• Chemotherapy 
• Radiation 
• And bone marrow transplant

Multiple myeloma is something we need to talk about more- it’s something we need to raise awareness for. Regular body check-ups for safety and education about this rare disease is a must.