What is Multiple Myeloma?

So what is Multiple Myeloma? It is a blood cancer of the plasma cells. Plasma cells are a type of white blood cell that resides in your bone marrow. Because white blood cells fight infection, multiple myeloma can lower your body’s immune system.

Myeloma cells also make bones weak and cause fractures. It is quite common for people to be diagnosed only after a major fracture of the vertebrae or other major bone. I am very, very fortunate that I have not experienced any bone pain or fractures; however, I do have three small bone lesions. To strengthen bones, Multiple Myeloma patients are given drugs typically used to treat Osteoporosis but they are administered much more aggressively. I received Zometa once a month for several months, but after experiencing flu like symptoms including a fever, I switched to Aredia which I’ve tolerated very well.

So how common is Multiple Myeloma? I’d never heard of it and come to find out not many people have. There are only 20,000 cases diagnosed in the US annually. The median age is 70 years and it is more common in men. I’m far from a mathematician, but by my calculations a female at 43 years old has a .00023% chance of getting this disease. With those odds, I should start playing the lottery.