Multiple myelomas refer to the cancer of plasma cells (they are a type of white blood cells). Plasma cells help our body fight infections by creating antibodies that identify, target and attack germs. Multiple myelomas lead to cancer concentrating in the bone marrow where they crowd out all the healthy blood cells. The cancerous cells produce abnormal proteins that lead to various complications rather than producing helpful antibodies.

For people who do not show any kinds of symptoms, they might not require any treatment. For people who do need treatment, have access to a wide range of treatment options available to help tackle the condition.

Causes
Researchers are still not sure as to what causes myeloma. We do know that myeloma starts from one abnormal plasma cell present in the bone marrow. The abnormal cell starts multiplying rapidly. Since cancerous cells do not mature, they do not die like normal cells, hence they tend to crowd out the healthy cells present in the bone marrow.

• One is more likely to get this if they are over 65 years of age, or they are African American or there is a family history of the disease.
• There seems to be some connection of multiple myeloma with a condition known as monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS). Almost all cases of multiple myeloma start out with an MGUS. In the United States, MGUS has been found in 3% of people who are more than 50 years old. Every year around 1% of people having MGUS develop multiple myeloma or a related type of cancer.
• MGUS, just like multiple myeloma, is due to the presence of M proteins in the blood. However, in this condition, the levels of M proteins are significantly lower and there is no damage done to the body.

Risk factors associated with multiple myeloma
The factors that can increase the chances of multiple myeloma include being male, aging, African American ancestry, family history, and MGUS.

Symptoms associated with multiple myeloma
There are various kinds of symptoms associated with this condition, which can vary from person to person. For some people, there could be no symptom at all. However, when signs and symptoms do manifest, they can include the following:

• Nausea
• Loss of appetite
• Pain in bone, especially in your chest or spine
• Constipation
• Weight Loss
• Frequent infections
• Excessive thirst
• Numbness or weakness in your legs

When to visit a doctor
You should consider making an appointment if you have a few persistent symptoms or signs that worry you. Your healthcare provider may recommend a few tests to help identify multiple myeloma if your blood test shows that you have the following.

• Anemia (very less red blood cell count)
• Hypercalcemia (a term referring to excessive calcium in your blood)
• High levels of protein in your blood along with low levels of albumin in the blood (your doctor might refer to this as “globulin gap”)

Your doctor might recommend you following tests to see if you have multiple myeloma:

• Complete Blood Count (CBC) test
  As the name signifies, these tests measure various kinds of cells present in the blood.
• Blood Urine Nitrogen (BUN)
  This test helps to check how your kidneys are functioning.

An early diagnosis can pave the way for effective treatment in case of multiple myeloma.