What is Multiple Myeloma? Understanding This Rare ...
Multiple Myeloma
What is Multiple Myeloma? Understanding This Rare Cancer
Published Oct 23, 2018
Multiple myeloma is a rare cancer that forms in a type of white blood cell called a plasma cell. The American Cancer Society estimates that about 30,770 new cases of the disease will be diagnosed this year, and about 12,770 people will die from it.
Multiple myeloma causes plasma cells to grow out of proportion to other cells, which can lead to a handful of symptoms. “That’s how we diagnose it,” says Dr. Nina Shah, a hematologist who specializes in multiple myeloma at UCSF Medical Center. “Some people come because they’re just tired, and a blood count shows that things are abnormal. The plasma cells tend to take up space in the bone marrow, so sometimes patients will come to us with a new fracture or a new break in the bone. The myeloma cells can also produce proteins and cause you to have kidney failure.”
Multiple myeloma is still considered an incurable disease, but Dr. Shah stressed that it is a disease that people can live with.
Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.
Multiple myeloma is a rare cancer that forms in a type of white blood cell called a plasma cell. The American Cancer Society estimates that about 30,770 new cases of the disease will be diagnosed this year, and about 12,770 people will die from it.
Multiple myeloma causes plasma cells to grow out of proportion to other cells, which can lead to a handful of symptoms. “That’s how we diagnose it,” says Dr. Nina Shah, a hematologist who specializes in multiple myeloma at UCSF Medical Center. “Some people come because they’re just tired, and a blood count shows that things are abnormal. The plasma cells tend to take up space in the bone marrow, so sometimes patients will come to us with a new fracture or a new break in the bone. The myeloma cells can also produce proteins and cause you to have kidney failure.”
Multiple myeloma is still considered an incurable disease, but Dr. Shah stressed that it is a disease that people can live with.
Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.