Medical Illustration: Multiple Myeloma

Medical Illustration: Multiple Myeloma

Multiple myeloma begins with a single precancerous plasma cell that multiplies uncontrollably and can eventually cause bone lesions and anemia.

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1. Normal bone marrow produces new blood cells, which include red blood cells, white blood cells (neutrophils, plasma cells and monocytes) and platelets.

2. Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance: Elevated levels of M protein due to an increased number of plasma cells. Bone lesions are absent. No treatment is necessary. Disease should be monitored every six to 12 months.

3. Smoldering myeloma: Elevated levels of M protein due to an increased number of plasma cells. Bone lesions are absent. Standard of care is to monitor disease without treatment. Enrollment in a clinical trial comparing treatment to observation might be an option.

4. Solitary or intramedullary plasmacytoma: Elevated levels of M protein, increased number of plasma cells and a single tumor in the bone or soft tissue. Treatment typically consists of radiation therapy.

5. Multiple myeloma: High levels of M protein and elevated levels of plasma cells accompanied by multiple painful bone lesions and anemia. Kidney damage might also be present. Treatment options include chemotherapy, targeted agents and immune modulators with or without bone marrow transplantation.

http://www.curetoday.com/publications/cure/2016/hematology-2016/medical-illustration-multiple-myeloma

What is Multiple Myeloma?

Multiple myeloma is a hematological (blood) cancer that develops in the plasma cells found in the soft, spongy tissue at the center of your bones, called bone marrow. Plasma cells are a type of white blood cell responsible for producing antibodies (immunoglobulins) which are critical for maintaining the body’s immune system. Through a complex, multi-step process, healthy plasma cells transform in malignant myeloma cells.

Myeloma cells result in the production of abnormal antibodies, or M proteins. A high level of M protein in the blood is the hallmark characteristic of multiple myeloma. Additionally, all myeloma cells are identical to each other and produce large quantities of the same specific M protein (for example, IgG or IgA). The M proteins offer no benefit to the body, and as the amount of M protein increases, it crowds out normally functioning immunoglobulins. This ultimately causes multiple myeloma symptoms such as bone damage or kidney problems.

In healthy bone marrow, B-cells, a type of white blood cell, develop into antibody-producing plasma cells when foreign substances (antigens) enter the body. In multiple myeloma, DNA damage to a B-cell transforms the normal plasma cell into a multiple myeloma cell. The cancerous cell multiplies, leaving less space for normal blood cells in the bone marrow, and produces large quantities of M protein.

Multiple Myeloma typically occurs in bone marrow with the most activity, which is the marrow in the spine, pelvic bones, ribs, and area of the shoulders and hips. In addition, groups of myeloma cells cause other cells in the bone marrow to remove the solid part of the bone and cause osteolytic lesions, or soft spots in the bone, resulting in weakened bones and increasing the risk of fractures. Although common, these lesions or other signs of bone loss do not occur in all patients with myeloma.

In addition, groups of myeloma cells cause other cells in the bone marrow to remove the solid part of the bone and cause osteolytic lesions, or soft spots in the bone, resulting in weakened bones and increasing the risk of fractures. Although common, these lesions or other signs of bone loss do not occur in all patients with multiple myeloma.

Learn More about Multiple Myeloma Here

Predictor for Multiple Myeloma (MGUS)

Hi gang-  Thought this might be of interest to some of you.  When Dom was first diagnosed by a local Oncologist, the guy said, basically, "Don't worry about it.  It's just MGUS... we'll keep an eye on it".

Thankfully, he'd sent Dom's blood work to the Tulane Cancer Center.  About a week later, we got the word that it was, indeed, Multiple Myeloma.  We promptly quit going to the local dude, and have stuck with Tulane for all of these years.  Love the doctor and love her staff.

Link to following story :

Patients with a high level of a specific protein in their blood have an increased risk of developing multiple myeloma.

Doctors at the Mayo Clinic have been studying a group of 1,384 patients with a blood condition called monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS). This is already known to be a precursor to the blood cancer, multiple myeloma. But till now it’s not been clear which patients are most at risk of progression to cancer.

Patients with MGUS have a protein in their blood called monoclonal protein (M protein). The Mayo study shows that those with higher levels are more likely to develop cancer. Those with the lowest levels of M protein have a progression rate of 14 per cent over 20 years, while the risk is 60 per cent over 20 years for those with the highest levels.

MGUS is present in two per cent of all Americans aged 50 or over and is usually detected during a routine check. The researchers don’t recommend population screening for MGUS, but say that those who are found to have the condition should be carefully monitored for M protein during their life – then any cancers which are detected can be treated as early as possible.