Multiple Myeloma Awareness Month

Myeloma Action Month happens every year in March to encourage individuals and groups to take actions that positively impact the myeloma community.

March is Multiple Myeloma Awareness Month, and at New York Cancer & Blood Specialists (NYCBS), we treat patients diagnosed with multiple myeloma.

If you are unsure of what multiple myeloma is, continue for an overview and see how our team can help.

Multiple myeloma is a cancer of plasma cells. It develops when malignant plasma cells accumulate in the bone marrow, crowding out the healthy plasma cells that help fight infection. Multiple Myeloma typically displays the most activity in the bone marrow. This includes the marrow in the spine, pelvic bones, ribs, shoulders, and hips. The overgrowth of plasma cells in the bone marrow can crowd out healthy blood-forming cells, leading to low blood counts.

The exact cause of multiple myeloma has not yet been identified. Though rarely curable, multiple myeloma is a highly manageable disease that has seen rapid medical advancement over the past decade. When diagnosed with a condition like multiple myeloma, we will be an advocate for your care. Our highly qualified doctors provide the right treatment plan for you. If you have multiple myeloma, it’s most likely that your plasma cells acquired enough mutations during your lifetime to transform from healthy cells into cancer cells.

An additional known risk factor for multiple myeloma is age. About 96% of cases are diagnosed in people over the age of 45 years old and more than 63% are diagnosed in people over the age of 65 years old. Occupational exposure to asbestos, benzene, pesticides, or chemicals from rubber manufacturing has been associated with an increased likelihood of developing multiple myeloma. A decline in the immune system and exposure to radiation are also risk factors.