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Multiple myeloma

Multiple myeloma is a blood cancer that affects plasma cells in your bone marrow. Around 370 people are diagnosed with myeloma each year in Ireland. It usually affects people over 50.

Treatment for myeloma includes active monitoring or drug therapies.

What is multiple myeloma?

Multiple myeloma (also called myeloma) is a cancer of the plasma cells, which are a type of white blood cell made in the bone marrow. About 370 people are diagnosed with myeloma in Ireland every year.* There are several treatments that can slow down and control multiple myeloma very well.

When you have myeloma, abnormal plasma cells are made in your bone marrow. These abnormal cells are called myeloma cells.

Healthy plasma cells. Produce antibodies (immunoglobulins) to fight infection and keep you healthy.
Abnormal plasma cells (myeloma cells). Usually produce a lot of abnormal antibodies called paraproteins (or M proteins). Paraproteins can reduce the amount of normal antibodies being made. This affects your ability to fight infection and build immunity, which can result in more infections.
The myeloma cells build up in the bone marrow, leaving less room for normal plasma cells to develop. This may cause complications and symptoms, such as bone pain, fractures, infections, reduced kidney function and reduced numbers of red and white blood cells.

Why is it called multiple myeloma?

Myeloma cells can move from the soft bone marrow into the harder part of bone and cause damage to bone tissue.

The disease affects multiple places in the body where the bone marrow is normally active – this is why it is called ‘multiple’ myeloma.

Understanding multiple myeloma

A complex disease

Multiple myeloma is described as a complex disease because buildup of myeloma cells can affect many areas of your body. The areas of the body commonly affected are the kidneys, bone marrow and bones. This means both the symptoms and treatment can be varied.

A long-term disease

Multiple myeloma is treated as a chronic (long-term) illness. With new drug treatments, patients are living much longer and leading fuller lives. Current treatments can bring about a complete remission in some patients. This means that the symptoms of multiple myeloma disappear and the bone marrow recovers, but this does not mean that the disease is cured.

An individual disease

Multiple myeloma is an individual disease: It can affect different people in very different ways. For example, one patient can have bone disease and another patient might have problems with their kidneys.

Your treatment will be tailored to you. Both you and your doctor will decide what treatment is the best way to manage your disease, so ask questions, get the necessary information and consider your treatment options.