What Is Multiple Myeloma?
Multiple myeloma is a type of blood cancer that starts in plasma cells — white blood cells in your bone marrow that help your immune system fight infections.
Normally, plasma cells make antibodies that attack bacteria and viruses. But when these cells multiply too quickly, they become cancerous. These cancerous cells push out healthy blood cells and make abnormal proteins (M protein in the blood or, in urine, Bence Jones protein) that don’t protect against infection.
Symptoms of Multiple Myeloma
Signs of multiple myeloma can vary depending, in part, on where the cancer cells are located.
Common symptoms include:
- Bone pain, which often affects the back, ribs or hips.
- Broken bones or bone lesions, which are weakened spots in the bone.
- Nerve problems, which can include weakness, numbness or tingling.
- Changes in vision or nasal congestion, which can happen if the cancer cells grow near the head or face.
- Tiredness or weakness, which is often due to anemia (low red blood cell count).
- Easy bruising or bleeding, which can result from a low platelet count.
How Multiple Myeloma Affects Your Body
Multiple myeloma can affect your bones, blood and other parts of your body in different ways. They can include:
- Bone damage, such as bone lesions, thinning bones or fractures (including pathological fractures, which happen more easily than normal).
- High calcium levels (hypercalcemia), which can cause confusion, weakness or kidney problems.
- Kidney problems, like kidney failure.
- Anemia, which happens when you have a low red blood cell count, causing tiredness and weakness.
- Low white blood cell count, which can increase your risk of infection.
- Low platelet count, which can increase your risk of bleeding or bruising.
Diagnosing Multiple Myeloma
Our experts use four main types of tests to diagnose multiple myeloma. They include:
- Blood tests, which look for abnormal proteins (monoclonal protein or “M protein”) and check blood cell counts, calcium levels and kidney function.
- Urine tests, which check for the same abnormal protein in urine, sometimes called Bence Jones protein.
- Imaging tests, which can include an X-ray, PET scan or MRI to look for bone damage. The latter two tests also can also find plasmacytomas, which are a collection of myeloma cells found outside the bone marrow.
- A bone marrow biopsy, which examines a sample of bone marrow for cancerous plasma cells.
The Approach to Multiple Myeloma Treatment at RUSH MD Anderson
We understand that being diagnosed with multiple myeloma can be overwhelming. While multiple myeloma isn’t curable, it’s highly treatable — and advances in care over the past decade mean many people enjoy longer periods of remission.
At RUSH MD Anderson, we’re here to provide some of the most advanced care for this rare blood cancer, along with supportive services to help you maintain your quality of life.
Your care will be shaped by a team approach. Our specialists — including experts in radiology, pathology, hematology and bone marrow transplant — work together and meet regularly to provide some of the most effective treatment plans.
This collaboration means your care will be tailored to your needs and may include advanced treatment options, such as radiation, immunotherapy or clinical trials that explore options like CAR-T cell therapy.
Throughout it all, our nurse coordinator will be there to help guide and organize your care every step of the way.
Meet our multiple myeloma treatment providers
Getting a Second Opinion from RUSH MD Anderson Cancer Center
Have you been diagnosed with cancer? Consider a second opinion from RUSH MD Anderson. A second opinion can help you explore all your options and begin treatment with confidence and clarity.
RUSH MD Anderson offers easy access to second opinions, including free virtual intake visits with our knowledgeable nurse navigators for anyone in Illinois.
Choosing RUSH MD Anderson for Multiple Myeloma Treatment
- A highly experienced team: Although multiple myeloma makes up just 1% of all cancers, our doctors and nurses treat large volumes of patients with this rare blood cancer. This level of expertise helps us determine the best treatments for you and how to successfully manage complications and side effects.
- Effective pain management: Pain is one of the most common symptoms associated with multiple myeloma. Your team will work with you to address your pain with the full spectrum of treatment options, including medication management, surgical interventions, radiation therapy options, physical therapy and supportive oncology care (e.g., acupuncture, massage).
- Excellent outcomes in stem cell transplant: You may need a bone marrow or stem cell transplant as part of your multiple myeloma treatment. Rush's bone marrow transplant program has excellent outcomes, with a 100% survival rate for the first 180 days after transplant.
- CAR-T therapy: Through clinical trials at RUSH MD Anderson, you may have access to CAR-T therapy as part of your multiple myeloma treatment plan. This novel treatment uses your own immune system to treat the cancer and has had high success rates.
- MGUS clinic: Multiple myeloma is always preceded by monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS), a rare blood condition. If you are at risk of developing multiple myeloma, you may be seen in our MGUS clinic at the Joan and Paul Rubschlager Building. Through this clinic, our team will monitor you closely, allowing you to start treatment immediately if or when you develop multiple myeloma.
- Support group: We have a multiple myeloma support group for patients and their families that is moderated by a social worker. The group meets quarterly on the third Friday of January, March, June and September in the Joan and Paul Rubschlager Building. For more information about the support group, please contact us at (312) 563-2265.
- Access to nationally ranked specialists: Sometimes multiple myeloma can cause orthopedic and neurological symptoms, such as bone and joint pain and muscle weakness. Our multiple myeloma team works closely with orthopedic surgeons and neurosurgeons to help you get the care you need to relieve these symptoms. And, U.S. News & World Report ranked Rush University Medical Center among the best in the nation for orthopedics and neurology and neurosurgery.
Multiple Myeloma FAQs
Multiple myeloma is a blood cancer that starts in plasma cells. These cells normally help fight infection, but when they multiply too quickly, they become cancerous. These cancerous cells push out healthy blood cells and make abnormal proteins (M protein or, in urine, Bence Jones protein) that don’t protect against infection.
Multiple myeloma usually isn’t passed down through families. It also tends to be diagnosed later in life — most often after age 40 — while cancers that run in families often show up at younger ages.
Signs of multiple myeloma vary depending on where the cancer cells are located and how they affect the body. Symptoms may include bone pain or fractures, nerve problems, vision changes, tiredness from anemia, easy bruising or bleeding, and confusion from high calcium levels.
At RUSH MD Anderson, our providers diagnose multiple myeloma using blood and urine tests to look for abnormal proteins and check blood counts, imaging tests like X-rays or MRI to detect bone damage or a collection of myeloma cells, and a bone marrow biopsy to examine the plasma cells in detail.
Our team coordinates your care to offer some of the latest therapies available. This can include chemotherapy, immunotherapy, stem cell transplants, CAR-T therapy and drug therapies, among others. If your multiple myeloma has relapsed, we also provide advanced options like bispecific T-cell engager therapy (“BiTEs”).
At RUSH MD Anderson, our doctors often focus on how long someone can live without the disease getting worse, called progression-free survival. This can vary based on factors like the stage of the myeloma, your overall health and your lifestyle. The good news is that treatments are constantly improving, giving many people longer periods of remission and better quality of life.
As treatment begins and the disease comes under control, your blood counts and calcium levels will improve, meaning you will likely feel less fatigue and have more energy, better thinking and overall well-being. We also offer pain management, physical therapy, procedures like kyphoplasty for spinal fractures and emotional support to help you cope.
While lifestyle changes can’t prevent or cure multiple myeloma, healthy habits can support your overall well-being and keep you strong throughout treatment. This can include maintaining a healthy weight, eating a balanced diet, and avoiding alcohol, smoking and drugs.
Yes, we have clinical trials for multiple myeloma, as well as other blood disorders and hematologic cancers. To learn more, talk to your doctor, or browse our list of clinical trials.
We have a multiple myeloma support group for patients and their families that is moderated by a social worker. The group meets quarterly on the third Friday of January, March, June and September in the Joan and Paul Rubschlager Building. For more information about the support group, please contact us at (312) 563-2265.
At RUSH MD Anderson, we also offer cancer support services that are designed to help you and your loved ones cope with the challenges of cancer and cancer treatment.
If you’re interested in making an appointment, call (312) CANCER-1 or schedule online.
U.S. News & World Report ranked Rush University Medical Center among the best in the nation for cancer care.
