Major Types of Blood Disorders

White Blood Cells: Multiple Myeloma

Multiple myeloma is a type of blood cancer that develops from the plasma cells or a type of white cell in an individual's blood responsible for the production of antibodies. Because plasma cells are made in an individual's bone marrow, multiple myeloma causes these malignant plasma cells to build up in the bone marrow and crowd out healthy cells. The cancerous plasma cells produce toxic proteins in the place of the antibodies they should be producing. These toxic proteins can cause a dangerous reduction in kidney function. Symptoms that commonly manifest in multiple myeloma patients include nausea, loss of appetite, mental fogginess, frequent infections, weakness in the legs, bone pain, constipation, fatigue, weight loss, and excessive thirst. A multiple myeloma diagnosis is made using blood tests, urinalysis, bone marrow biopsy, and imaging tests. In asymptomatic individuals affected by this type of cancer, treatment may not be needed until further progression is detected. For more advanced stages of multiple myeloma, treatment may involve a bone marrow transplant, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, biological therapy, radiation therapy, and corticosteroids.