Multiple Myeloma Information
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What is Multiple Myeloma?
Multiple myeloma is a type of cancer that affects the plasma type of white blood cells. Myeloma cells tend to collect in the bone marrow and in the hard, outer part of bones. Sometimes they collect in only one bone and form a single mass, or tumor, called a plasmacytoma. In most cases, however, the myeloma cells collect in many bones, often forming many tumors and causing other problems. When this happens, the disease is called multiple myeloma.
Understanding Multiple Myeloma
There are many kinds of cells that make up our blood including red blood cells (RBCs), white blood cells (WBCs) and platelets. A particular category of white blood cells called lymphocytes are a vital part of our immune defense. There are two main types of lymphocytes, B lymphocytes (B cells) and T lymphocytes (T cells), both of which originate within the bone marrow.
As the B cells mature, some develop into plasma cells. Plasma cells are a specific kind of WBC that produces antibody proteins (immunoglobulins) in response to bacterial infections or viruses. The out-of-controlled growth of plasma cells may develop into a type of cancer called multiple myeloma. In the case that only one isolated tumor develops, it is called solitary plasmacytoma.
Please note that cancer is classified by the type of cell, or the part of the body, in which the disease begins. Although plasmacytoma and multiple myeloma affect the bones, they begin in cells of the immune system. This type of cancer is different from bone cancer, which actually begins in cells that form the hard, outer part of the bone. You should know this because the diagnosis and treatment of plasmacytoma and multiple myeloma are different from the diagnosis and treatment of bone cancer.
Multiple Myeloma: The Facts
The International Myeloma Foundation reports that each year there are approximately 19,900 new cases of myeloma in the United States. This represents approximately 20 percent of blood cancers, and 1 percent of all types of cancer. The incidence varies from country to country, with a rate of 1 in 100,000 in China to approximately 1 in 400,000 in most Western industrialized countries. Myeloma is more common in blacks than whites, with a male/female ratio of 3 to 2. The incidence rises with age.
Better diagnostic techniques and the higher average age of the general population may explain the rising incidence of myeloma over the past several decades. More patients under age 55 are being diagnosed with myeloma. Risk factors include exposure to atomic radiation, petroleum products, pesticides, solvents, heavy metals, and airborne particles.
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