What should I do if I have myeloma?

  Due to factors such as environmental degradation, aging population, and occupational exposure, the incidence of multiple myeloma is increasing and has become the second most common hematologic malignancy after acute leukemia. This disease is caused by cancerous plasma cells in the bone marrow that overproliferate, invade bones, liver, spleen, blood and other organs, and produce large amounts of abnormal immunoglobulins.  Patients will mainly experience the following symptoms: 1. Malignant plasma cells destroy bones, resulting in bone pain, osteoporosis, pathological fractures, and hypercalcemia; 2. Inhibition of bone marrow hematopoiesis, resulting in anemia and bleeding; 3. Filtration of large amounts of light chains from the kidneys, resulting in proteinuria, renal impairment, and renal failure; 4. Decrease in normal immunoglobulins, decreased immunity of the body, and recurrent infections; 5. Myeloma cells invade multiple organs, causing hepatosplenomegaly, amyloidosis, etc.  Thus, multiple myeloma is a type of blood cancer that mainly damages bone marrow, blood, bone and kidney. It is generally believed that the natural course of progressive myeloma is about 6 months. Patients who do not undergo treatment often have unbearable bone pain, fractures, cremasteric compression, cremasteric paralysis, severe anemia and frequent dependence on blood transfusions, susceptibility to recurrent infections, and eventual renal failure, with a short survival period and poor quality of life. In contrast, the median survival of patients treated with MP and VAD programs can be extended to 2.5-3 years, which can greatly reduce the incidence of fracture, correct and control anemia and kidney damage; the application of new drugs and stem cell transplantation has greatly improved the efficacy and extended the survival to more than 5 years, and even more than 10 years in some cases. Therefore, unfortunately suffering from myeloma should undergo regular treatment, and its efficacy is obvious. Doctors will develop individualized treatment plans according to the patient’s age, organ function, physical condition, underlying disease, and willingness to treat to maximize clinical efficacy, prolong survival, and improve the patient’s quality of life.  A significant number of patients or family members are concerned about whether they can tolerate chemotherapy because they are too old and in poor health. First of all, it is a fact that multiple myeloma is an older tumor mostly seen in 55 to 75 years old, and it is a fact that patients are physically and immunologically weaker than younger people. However, the intensity of treatment regimen for multiple myeloma is far less than that for acute leukemia, which usually does not cause severe bone marrow suppression, infection, bleeding and organ damage. Moreover, supportive therapies such as blood transfusions, anti-infections and organ protection are now much better than in the past, and these supportive therapies are also important for chemotherapy to be administered. Therefore, except for a very small number of patients with advanced age (>80 years old), very poor physical condition and serious underlying diseases, most patients are fully able to tolerate chemotherapy treatment, and patients can benefit from chemotherapy treatment.  Therefore, if one has myeloma, we suggest that treatment should be started promptly and as early as possible to control the development and deterioration of the disease.