Maneuvering Around Multiple Myeloma

Your body has felt achy lately. You have been nauseous and constipated. You are scared to go to the doctor’s office. You could have multiple myeloma.

Multiple myeloma is a type of blood cancer in which certain cells in the bone marrow grow out of control, damaging the bone and causing bone pain. The disease may also cause infection, anemia, problems with bruising and bleeding and damage to some body organs, particularly the kidneys. Though incurable, the disease is treatable, with more treatments possible to prolong life.

Plasma cells overproduce in the marrow, triggering many adverse events. The out-of-control plasma cells might invade adjacent bone, leading to fracture and bone pain. Back and chest pain are features. The multiplying cells also displace others—including red cells, causing anemia.

As bone is destroyed, blood calcium rises. Kidneys might fail, partly due to the abnormal antibody production myeloma triggers.

Prognosis depends on the age of onset, which in turn tells you how much marrow is involved in the process. The level of abnormal myeloma proteins in the blood is also significant.

All of this can lead to a shortage in red blood cells and blood platelets that can result in anemia and excessive bleeding.

Abnormal plasma cells don’t produce the infection-fighting antibodies that normal cells do. And they can speed up production of bone-dissolving chemicals, causing soft spots in the bone that increase the risk for breakage. The cancer goes undetected until the weakened bones fracture.

Multiple myeloma used to be a hard cancer to treat, but that has changed in the last few years. According to the American Cancer Society, about 34, 470 new cases of multiple myeloma will be diagnosed (19,100 in men and 15,370 in women).

The exact cause of multiple myeloma is unknown. There are a few distinct risk factors, but your chances of getting the disease increase if you’re older than 50, male, Black, overweight or obese, or have a history of monoclonal gammopathy. Life expectancy used to be three to four years from the date of diagnosis, but recent advances in treatment have increased survival significantly.

Some symptoms of multiple myeloma include weakness in your arms and legs or feeling of numbness in arms and legs, fatigue, nausea and vomiting, not having an appetite and/or feeling thirstier than usual, unexplained weight loss, unexplained fever, bruising or bleeding more easily and feeling confused or foggy.

The staging process for multiple myeloma can be classified as follows:

·       MGUS. Blood tests show small amounts of M protein (abnormal antibodies produced by abnormal cells). About 1 to 2 percent of people with MGUS develop multiple myeloma.

·       Solitary or isolated plasmacytomas. These are single groups of abnormal plasma cells.

·       SMM. This is the precancerous form of multiple myeloma. People who have SMM may have mild symptoms along with tests showing small amounts of M protein in their blood and an increased number of plasma cells in their bone marrow.

·       Multiple myeloma. This classification means tests show multiple groups of abnormal plasma cells, high M protein levels in blood or urine and a high percentage of abnormal plasma cells in bone marrow. People in this classification often have anemia, hypercalcemia, kidney failure and osteolytic lesions.

Blood and urine tests, X-ray imaging and bone marrow exams may be used to detect multiple myeloma. If you have multiple myeloma and aren’t experiencing any symptoms, your doctors may just monitor you. If you are experiencing symptoms, many treatments are available such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy, thalidomide and stem cell transplantation.

Some people live ten years or more with multiple myeloma. Early diagnosis and treatment help people live longer. The overall five-year survival rate for people with multiple myeloma in the United States is 55 percent. For the 4 percent of people diagnosed at an early stage, the five-year survival rate is over 77 percent.

If you are living with multiple myeloma, there are some lifestyle choices you can make to support your overall health such as eating healthy meals every day, stop smoking, getting enough rest, protecting yourself from infection, exercising, and talking to a health care provider if you feel depressed.

It isn’t easy to live with cancer that doesn’t go away or may come back. Speak with your health care provider regarding any concerns you may have regarding your condition.