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Multiple myeloma is a disorder of plasma cells and cancer occurs in plasma cells.
Multiple myeloma is usually found in older adults.
Multiple myeloma Symptoms and Causes: People get scared on hearing the name of cancer. There are many types of cancer, in which blood cancer is also very dangerous. Multiple myeloma is also a type of blood cancer, in which plasma cells start growing uncontrollably. Plasma cells are a type of blood cells found in the bone marrow. They are an integral part of the body’s immune system. Their job is to make antibodies or immunoglobulins to fight infection. let’s know Dr. Nivedita Dhingra, Senior Consultant, Hematology and Hemato-Oncology, BMT, Max Hospital (Patparganj, New Delhi) In detail about the causes, symptoms and treatment of multiple myeloma.
What is multiple myeloma?
Multiple myeloma is a disorder of plasma cells. In this, cancer occurs in the plasma cells. Instead of making healthy antibodies, they start making cancer proteins, also known as M proteins or monoclonal proteins or M bands. M protein affects various organs of the body like bones, kidney, bone marrow and causes symptoms of myeloma.
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What are the symptoms of multiple myeloma?
Multiple myeloma is usually found in older adults. Very few cases are seen in people below 40 years of age. Its symptoms are as follows:
- It damages the main organs of the body (end-organ damage) by M protein.
- Due to the uncontrolled growth of plasma cells in the bone marrow, the bone marrow stops working, which can cause anemia to the patient. Sometimes the number of white blood cells and platelets also drop.
- The patient may have constant back pain or fractures in bones without any reason.
- Due to this, renal failure (kidney damage) can also happen, which is also known as cast nephropathy.
- Patients with myeloma have very high calcium levels, which can cause neurological symptoms. For this, there is a need to get diagnosed and treated as soon as possible.
- Due to multiple myeloma, the patient’s immunity ie the ability to fight against diseases becomes weak and the chances of infection increase.
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How is myeloma diagnosed?
Multiple myeloma is diagnosed by some basic and some modern blood tests, which are easily available. This includes complete blood count, liver and kidney function tests, immunofixation with serum protein electrophoresis for detection of M protein. However, it is important to understand that sometimes the presence of M protein is not considered myeloma, as up to 5% of healthy people after age 50 may develop M protein, which does not cause symptomatic multiple myeloma.
The doctor also examines the bone marrow to detect abnormal plasma cells in the marrow. Apart from this, radiographs or X-rays of various bones are done to check whether the bones have been damaged due to myeloma. Now-a-days whole body pat-CT is also being done to check the bone damage due to myeloma. In some cases, solid masses of plasma cells—plasmacytomas—are examined.
What are the treatment options for myeloma?
A combination of two or three drugs is given weekly to treat multiple myeloma. Patients under 65 years of age who are clinically healthy and in good condition can undergo autologous bone marrow transplant after 4-6 months of chemotherapy. Newer targeted therapy and immunotherapy drugs are also available to treat different cases. With the modern advances in the treatment of myeloma, such safe therapies are also available, through which the patient can live a life free of myeloma for a long time.
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Tags: Cancer, Health, Lifestyle
FIRST PUBLISHED : March 18, 2023, 11:52 AM IST
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