Multiple myeloma
Multiple myeloma is a type of blood cancer that occurs when abnormal plasma cells grow uncontrollably in your bone marrow.
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Find General PhysiciansClinical Overview
Your body has a type of white blood cell called a plasma cell, which normally helps you fight off germs by making antibodies. In multiple myeloma, these plasma cells become cancerous and start multiplying out of control inside your bone marrow, the soft, sponge-like tissue found inside your bones.
Instead of protecting you, these faulty cells crowd out healthy blood cells and produce a useless protein that can damage your organs. Because these cells grow in many different spots in your bone marrow at the same time, the condition is called 'multiple.'
Common Symptoms
- Persistent bone pain, usually in the back, ribs, or hips.
- Unexplained fatigue or weakness caused by anemia, which is a lack of healthy red blood cells.
- Frequent infections, such as pneumonia, because your immune system is not working well.
- Unexplained weight loss or loss of appetite.
- Excessive thirst or frequent urination due to high calcium levels in the blood.