Multiple Myeloma: The Most Common Form Of Blood Cancer

Posted by Cancer Care on Wednesday, December 22, 2010


Multiple myeloma is the most common form of blood cancer, representing 15 percent of all cancers of the blood. There are about 2500 new cases each year in the UK, resulting in 10 to 15,000 patients with the disease at any time. The overall incidence is increasing and is higher in African-Caribbeans.Multiple myeloma is treatable, but can not be considered a curable disease.

Types of myeloma

It 'really only one main type of myeloma, but different people, a cancer of plasma cells produce different antibodies. . Doctors often call these substances "immunoglobulin However, a myeloma, a single type of immunoglobulin is overproduced, but this varies from patient to patient There are five basic immunoglobulins. -, G, M, D and E. The most common that is overproduced in myeloma is the rarest of the IgG and IgE.

Managing your symptoms

Although you can not get her myeloma into remission, you may receive treatment to help control the symptoms it causes. This may be a snub to chemotherapy damp down. Or you may have radiation therapy for hot spots in her bones. Bisphosphonates may also be used to help slow the progression of myeloma. And to reduce calcium levels in the blood if it is too high. Your doctor may suggest a treatment called plasma pharesis if the abnormal immunoglobulin protein level is too high in the blood. Excess protein in the blood may be too thick and require pharesis plasma protein excess.

Smoldering myeloma

You can also hear the term "smoldering myeloma. This is a condition that is very similar to MGUS. The only difference is that the levels of immunoglobulin are slightly higher than in MGUS. But there are growing and the condition is generally stable for a long period. The danger is that the conditions to accelerate and develop into full-blown multiple myeloma.

How can you develop multiple myeloma?

September myeloma is not known. It is not hereditary and not contagious. As with other blood cancers is increased incidence in patients exposed to chemical exposure radiation.Organic may increase the incidence, but there are clear data.A recent report suggested that patients with multiple myeloma have a more high prevalence of infection (up to 80 percent or more), human herpesvirus (HHV8) than do normal subjects (up to 25 per cent), these reports are confirmed.

Source by goarticles.com

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