1. What is multiple myeloma? What is the cause of the disease? Multiple myeloma (MM) is a malignant proliferative tumor that originates from plasma cells in the blood system. Myeloma cells proliferate clonally in the bone marrow. MM is characterized by abnormal proliferation of bone marrow plasma cells with excessive production of monoclonal immunoglobulins or light chains (M proteins), and in rare cases, unsecreted MM that does not produce M proteins. Because of the suppressed production of normal immunoglobulins, they are prone to various bacterial infections. The exact pathogenesis of myeloma is not clear, but with the development of various biotechnologies, the understanding of the pathogenesis of myeloma has advanced. The development of myeloma may be related to chromosomal abnormalities caused by genetic mutations. 2. Is multiple myeloma contagious or hereditary? Multiple myeloma is not an infectious disease. Although certain genetic abnormalities have been found in some patients with myeloma, most of these abnormalities are acquired by mutations, so they are not usually passed on to future generations. 3. Is multiple myeloma fatal? How long can I live if I have it? Multiple myeloma is still an incurable disease, but the emergence of new drugs (immunomodulators, proteasome inhibitors) and the successful application of autologous stem cell transplantation have greatly improved the outcome and survival. Clinical studies have shown that with standardized treatment, patients generally have a median survival of more than 5 years. Of course, multiple myeloma itself is a heterogeneous disease, and different patients’ disease status, response to treatment, and the occurrence of complications have a great deal to do with survival. Short-term survival is only a few months, while long-term survival can be more than 10 years. Who is at risk for multiple myeloma? The incidence of multiple myeloma in China is about 1/100,000, which is lower than that in western industrialized countries (about 4/100,000), and the age of onset is mostly between 50 and 60 years old. The ratio of men to women is 3:2, so relatively older people, especially those with a family history of tumor or tumor susceptibility factors (such as special occupations), are more likely to develop multiple myeloma. 5. Do specific occupations cause multiple myeloma? Ionizing radiation has been shown to be a risk factor for acute myeloid leukemia, but there is no evidence of a role for chronic low-dose radiation exposure in the development of multiple myeloma. With modern industrial protection and strict regulations, occupational radiation exposure is unlikely to significantly increase the incidence of multiple myeloma. Moderated studies of organic solvents, herbicides, and other chemical agents have also failed to find a role in the development of myeloma. 6. What is the pathogenesis of multiple myeloma? The diverse clinical manifestations of multiple myeloma are caused by the uncontrolled proliferation and infiltration of malignant clonal plasma cells and their secretion of large amounts of monoclonal immunoglobulins: the overproliferation of tumor cells in the bone marrow at the primary site leads to the suppression of bone marrow hematopoietic function; the extensive infiltration of tumor cells may involve lymph nodes, spleen, liver, respiratory tract and other sites, causing dysfunction of the involved tissues and organs: the secretion of tumor cells by The presence of a large amount of monoclonal immunoglobulin secreted by tumor cells in the blood causes increased blood viscosity and dysfunction of coagulation factors, while the excretion of excessive light chains from the kidneys causes kidney damage and the deposition of light chains in tissues and organs causes amyloidosis damage, while the proliferation of normal polyclonal plasma cells and the synthesis of polyclonal immunoglobulin are inhibited, resulting in reduced immunity of the body. In addition, it is susceptible to secondary infections.