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What is Multiple Myeloma? |
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Symptoms
Multiple myeloma is a malignancy of the plasma cells, the latter being a type of white blood cell which exists in the bone marrow. Although the condition rarely causes symptoms early on, these progress as the disease develops. Common indications of multiple myeloma include painful sensations on the bones, and the presence of abnormal protein types in the blood or urine (monoclonal proteins). High amounts of calcium in the blood (as a result of dissolved afflicted bone tissues) may be indicated by extreme thirst and frequent urination, queasiness, constipation, a loss of appetite, and vexation. The patient can also become anemic, causing fatigue. Secondary symptoms involve recurrent infections, weight loss, a numbness or feebleness of the limbs, and unexplained fractures.
Causes
The exact nature of the condition is unknown, but it usually starts with a single abnormal cell in the patient’s bone marrow, one which consequently multiplies. Since abnormal cells do not follow a normal life cycle, they build up and overwhelm the creation of healthy, normal cells. Healthy bone marrow normally contains less than five percent of its mass in plasma cells, but patients with multiple myeloma have more than ten percent of the same in their marrows. Uncontrolled growth can cause injury to bones and adjacent tissues, and can also hamper the immune system’s capability to fend off further infection. The condition sometimes develops from MGUS, indicated by the presence of M proteins in the person’s blood (as created by the abnormal plasma cells). However, the amounts of these proteins usually aren’t sufficient to cause damage to bone mass.
Diagnosis
The doctor may detect initial indications of the condition even before any physical symptoms develop, usually with blood or urine tests which come as component of regular checkups. A blood testing procedure known as serum protein electrophoresis isolates the blood proteins, for the purpose of detecting M proteins; this is referred to as an ‘M spike’ in the patient’s blood. If the protein is detected in the urine, they are identified as Bence-Jones proteins. If these are discovered, the doctor will advise further tests for measuring the amounts of calcium or creatinine in the system, or he may order a blood cell count in order to measure the amount of plasma cells in the marrow. Apart from these, a sample of the bone marrow itself may be examined, or imaging tests may be conducted for a closer look at the patient’s bone structure.
Treatment Info
There is no current cure for the condition, but a good treatment course ensures that the patient can have an otherwise normal life in spite of the disease. Multiple myeloma may be treated with chemotherapy, stem cell transplants, radiation therapy, or through an intake course of corticosteroids, thalidomide, bortezomib, and lenalidomide. The complications of the condition may also be treated in order to alleviate the patient from their symptoms: medications or a brace for back pains, dialysis for kidney problems, antibiotics for infections, intravenous erythropoietin for anemia, and bisphosphonates like pamidronate and zoledronic acid for the loss of bone mass.
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