Multiple myelomas are uncommon forms of cancer that affect the bone marrow and bones, and later other organs of the body. It is triggered by one abnormal plasma cell in the bone marrow that attempts to imitate healthy plasma cells and produce antibodies that are harmful. These abnormal plasma cells (myeloma) multiply at an alarming rate, faster than normal plasma cells. The extraordinary numbers of myeloma cells push out the normal plasma cells from the bone marrow. The harmful antibodies they produce affect the nearby bone marrow and bone tissue, and over time they affect the kidneys.
The signs and symptoms are
- Pain
Swelling, tenderness, and pain in the bones are common in about 70% of patients. Pain is usually felt in the spine and the ribs, and increases with motion and activity, due to bone loss. Bone pain is also associated with pathological bone fracture, a condition where the bone breaks due to weakness caused by the disease. Bone loss can also lead to more serious conditions like osteoporosis. Shortness of breath, swelling, and signs of heart disease or kidney failure during the later stages. - Excessive loss of body weight
A follow-up condition that arises from the excess calcium (hypercalcemia) caused by bone erosion. This, in turn, causes nausea, vomiting and a loss of appetite. This leads to an extreme loss of weight. - Issues with urination and bowel movements
Hypercalcemia causes excessive thirst and frequent urination. Constipation follows the loss of appetite. Low calcium levels cause the patient to experience lethargy and may also cause the patient to fall into a coma. - Tiredness
Tiredness that worsens over time, due to anemia and reduced kidney function. Some patients with multiple myeloma do not show signs of anemia (a lower than normal red blood cell count), but this condition develops over time. Anemia is characterized by fatigue and pale skin. - Infections
Unexplained infections such as sinusitis, pneumonia or urinary tract infection that recurs. The lower number of red blood cells and antibodies prevent the patient from fighting off these illnesses and become more and more susceptible. - Hyperviscosity syndrome
Proteins produced by the myeloma cells result in blood thickening. The signs of hyperviscosity syndrome include blurring of the vision and bleeding from the nose and mouth. The advanced condition can lead to heart failure. - Kidney problems
The kidney gets affected by the increased protein in calcium in the blood. This leads to an abnormal kidney function that can be detected by a kidney function test. - Neurological issues
Bone fractures, especially those in the spine can lead to spinal stenosis, affecting the spine and the nerve roots. The results are tingling, numbness, muscle weakness, and pain in the back and legs. The bladder and bowel movements are affected. Over time, myeloma cells can appear in the spinal fluid, resulting in extreme back pain and muscle weakness. - Skin lesions
Purple-colored skin bumps that are caused by the layer under the skin being affected by advanced multiple myeloma. This shows up as large, colored bumps on the skin. In the rare case, the disease can cause tumors to appear on the ribs.
