Many people know that leukemia is a highly malignant “blood cancer”, but they are unaware of another disease with similar prevalence – multiple myeloma. The latter is more prevalent than leukemia in the United States, where epidemiological data are well available. In China, because of the lack of public awareness and the fact that early symptoms are mainly bone pain, anemia and decreased kidney function, at least 30% of patients are missed or misdiagnosed, and are already in advanced stages when detected. This is the news obtained by the reporter from the first International Symposium on Myeloma and Lymphoma recently hosted by Long March Hospital and MD Anderson Cancer Research Center in the United States. 2. Young white-collar bone pain delayed for three months At the beginning of this year, Jack, 28, was preparing to go abroad for vacation after a big project, and before he left, he suddenly felt sore bones all over his body. Three weeks later, he went to a nearby hospital to see an orthopedic surgeon, who prescribed painkillers for him to take for three months in a row. Jack was referred to the Department of Orthopedics of Shanghai Long March Hospital for consultation. The orthopedic surgeon, together with the hematologist, found that his M protein was significantly increased, and combined with other symptoms, he was finally diagnosed with multiple myeloma. Professor Hou Jian, director of the Department of Hematology at Long March Hospital, told reporters that multiple myeloma is the most common type of malignant plasma cell disease. In recent years, the haematology department of Long March Hospital has encountered young people in their 20s suffering from the disease every year. 3, 60-year-old aunt myeloma mistaken for kidney disease treatment 60-year-old Aunt Sheng (a pseudonym) began to appear swelling a year ago, went to the hospital after examination found that kidney function decline, so Aunt Sheng in the company of family members dedicated to the treatment of kidney disease, due to the treatment effect is not obvious, and then Aunt Sheng had to accept hemodialysis. The whole half year of hemodialysis, but her kidney function did not get a good recovery, but more problems appeared. The pain near her lumbar spine was getting worse and worse, so Auntie Sheng thought she must have a lumbar disc herniation, a common disease among middle-aged and elderly people, so she went to a massage center to receive massage treatment under the introduction of her friends. Unexpectedly, the first time she received treatment, the massage therapist pushed Auntie Sheng’s lumbar vertebrae to fracture. After she was rushed to Long March Hospital, after a series of examinations, the doctor’s diagnosis was very different from lumbar disc herniation: hematologic malignancy – multiple myeloma. ”Since multiple myeloma progresses slowly and the early symptoms are often bone pain with anemia and renal insufficiency, middle-aged and elderly people can easily mistake it for kidney disease or orthopedic disease, so the rate of misdiagnosis and omission is high, and if they do not meet experienced doctors, they often do not think of multiple myeloma. At least 30% of the patients in our department are referred from orthopedics and nephrology. ” said Director Hou in an interview. He advised middle-aged and elderly people to be vigilant if they have frequent back pain, which is ineffective with general treatment, and unexplained anemia, and should go to the hematology department of the hospital for examination in time. It is said that after suffering from multiple myeloma, cancer cells will devour bones like termites, resulting in bones being moth-eaten with holes, bone destruction and pathological fractures. Clinically, there are even advanced patients with broken ribs due to coughing. The ageing and environmental pollution have led to an increase in the number of patients. According to Director Hou, the Department of Hematology of Long March Hospital has seen an annual increase of 10-15% in multiple myeloma in recent years. The specific causes of the disease are still inconclusive, but aging and environmental pollution are the two main causes. Shanghai is the first big city in China to enter the aging society, and the growth of the aging population base will inevitably lead to the expansion of this disease population. Environmental pollution is also a problem that major cities have to face nowadays. In addition to genetic factors, developing multiple myeloma may also be related to ionizing radiation, exposure to industrial or agricultural toxins, and chronic infection and chronic antigenic stimulation. Among the survivors of the atomic bombings in Japan, there was an increase in the incidence and mortality of multiple myeloma. The average survival period of multiple myeloma is about 3-4 years, and there is hope for a cure if a successfully matched stem cell donor can be found. However, many elderly patients are unable to perform stem cell transplantation because it is more risky for them. Director Hou said that in this international forum, European and American experts brought some new treatments, such as targeted therapy, immunotherapy and individualized therapy, which have improved the remission rate of multiple myeloma exponentially, and some of these treatments have been carried out in China.