Myeloma
February 15, 2010
Myeloma is a culminated increase of cells affected with cancer, or cells that are growing and multiplying in an uncontrolled manner.What happens is…that due to an increase of these cells, they need more space in the body, and appear as ‘lumps’ on the body. This kind of cells is more like rogue cells, that cause these lumps.
What is more disturbing is that this can spread and destroy surrounding tissues as well. It will even creep into important organs like the heart, lung, or liver.
Hence, all the organs stop doing their respective functions.
Cells are produced in the bone marrow. Bone marrow is the cavity in the bone. Hence bone marrow is the tissue in these cavities. Bone marrow produces stem cells that develop into full-fledged cells.
When talking about cells, you should know that there are three types of cells in the body: Red blood cells, White blood cells, and platelets.
Red blood cells hold and transport oxygen.
White blood cells protect the body in fighting infections
Platelets prevent bleeding, by forming clots, that are like plugs to fix a leak.
So what causes myeloma?
The causes of myeloma have not had a concrete discovery yet. There has been some kind of evidence to support a genetic angle to myeloma as a condition passed on from generations.
It can also trigger off due to exposure to cancer stimulants like chemicals, cosmetics etc. It can also be due to deficiency in the immune system that lacks the ability to regulate cell reproduction.
How do you detect myeloma?
These are the symptoms of myeloma…
- Bleeding from nose and mouth.
- Easily fatigued. Loss of sanity.
- There is tremendous pain in the bones. You will hear patients with myeloma of some pain in their bodies that they cannot ‘feel’ or find out from where it is coming.
- The kidney might be damaged due to aggravated reabsorbing of calcium by the bones, which results in excess of calcium in the body.
- Since there is white blood cell damage, the person might keep getting infections
How can myeloma be treated?
Here are some treatment options
- Chemotherapy, radiation
- The patient can even get new stem cells from another healthy person, through a transplant process
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