Bone pain, most often in the spine, pelvis, or ribsThrombocytopenia, or low levels of platelets in the blood, which can cause increased bruising and bleedingBone fracturesFatigueWeaknessFrequent infectionsWeakness or numbness in the legsExcessive thirstConstipationNauseaLoss of appetite
Learn About The Symptoms of Multiple Myeloma
Age Multiple myeloma is most often diagnosed in adults over age 65.Gender Men are at a slightly higher risk than women.Race Black Americans are almost twice as likely to get multiple myeloma as white Americans.Family History Having a close relative with multiple myeloma increases a person’s odds of developing it. Is multiple myeloma hereditary? Sometimes. But most people with multiple myeloma have no family history of the disease.Obesity People who are overweight or obese are at a higher risk.Other Plasma Cell Diseases Multiple myeloma may start out as a relatively benign condition called monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS), according to the American Cancer Society.
Stages of Multiple Myeloma
Staging multiple myeloma is the method that doctors use to assess how much cancer is in the body, where it is, and whether it has spread. Doctors stage the disease to come up with a treatment plan and a prognosis.
The amount of albumin, a protein made by the liver, in the bloodThe amount of beta-2-microglobulin, a type of protein that is a tumor marker, in the bloodThe amount of lactate dehydrogenase in the bloodGene abnormalities, or cytogenetics, detected in the cancer
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Prognosis of Multiple Myeloma
The median five-year survival rate for multiple myeloma is a little more than 50 percent, but that depends on many factors, including the stage the cancer is when first detected. This number won’t be true for every patient. Factors such as age, the tumor’s genetic characteristics, your kidney function, and your overall health also play a role. (Note that this statistic is based on older data that doesn’t take into account many new drugs that have become available in the past five years.) Learn More About the Prognosis for Multiple Myeloma Current treatments aim to relieve symptoms, prolong periods of remission, and prolong survival. Oncologists have many ways to treat multiple myeloma and will typically use more than one at a time. Treatments include the following options:
Chemotherapy and Targeted Drugs This includes targeted drugs that home in on specific genes or proteins on cancer cells.Stem Cell Transplantation Cancerous cells are replaced with healthy stem cells from the patient’s own system or a matched donor. Stem cell transplants are often followed by maintenance therapy with a drug such as Revlimid (lenalidomide).Radiation Therapy This therapy uses high-energy rays to kill cancer cells. It’s often used to target areas of bone damaged by multiple myeloma.Surgery Multiple myeloma can cause bone deterioration that results in weakened or fractured bones. Surgery may be used to fortify areas of bones to make them more stable. Clinical Trials New drugs and drug combinations are constantly being investigated for treating multiple myeloma and other cancers.
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Low Blood Counts As myeloma cells multiply in bone marrow, they leave less space for red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. Low red blood cell levels, a condition known as anemia, can result in fatigue and weakness. A drop in your white blood cell count can decrease the body’s ability to fight. Lack of platelets can lead to significant bruising and bleeding, even from minor scrapes or cuts.Bone and Calcium Issues Myeloma cells can accelerate the breakdown of old bone and slow the buildup of new bone. This can lead to osteoporosis, raising the risk of fractures. Bones may become so fragile that even normal activities, like coughing and walking, may be enough to lead to a broken bone.Suppressed Immune System Myeloma cells interfere with both the quality and quantity of infection-fighting white blood cells, raising the risk of infection.Kidney Damage An antibody produced by myeloma cells can harm the kidneys and lead to kidney failure.
That makes multiple myeloma relatively rare, accounting for 1.8 percent of all new cancer cases. Around 0.8 percent of men and women in the United States will be diagnosed with multiple myeloma at some point during their lives. Learn More About Resources for Multiple Myeloma With additional reporting by Kaitlin Sullivan.
