Iv'e mentioned in a couple of threads and to some members through PM's that my Mum has not been well....well the Doctor's have now confirmed their initial diagnosis.
She has Multiple Myeloma, (short brief below) so we now know why she has been in so much pain and why she has suffered a number of broken bones.....sternum, ribs, collar bone and now while in hospital her arm..all caused by tumors or lesions on various bones including her spine where the most pain has originated...
Today she starts her first course of Chemotherapy treatment.
Last year when my Dad died, she was so thrilled at the wishes you guys passed on through the forum, she read every one!....so I would REALLY appreciate your help with a bunch of wishes to keep her spirits up.
Thanks for reading....
Multiple Myeloma
It is the most common primary bone tumour and is found in the spine, skull, ribs, sternum and pelvis.
It is a malignant tumour of plasma cells that causes widespread osteolytic bone damage.
Understanding Mutiple Myeloma - What is Multiple Myeloma?
Large numbers of abnormal plasma cells are made in the bone marrow. The abnormal plasma cells crowd out the normal bone marrow so that it cannot make enough normal blood cells. Myeloma also weakens the immune system and the level of normal antibodies is reduced.
The abnormal plasma cells make an antibody known as M-band or paraprotein. This paraprotein can be detected in the blood of most people who have multiple myeloma.
From the bone marrow, myeloma may spread into the bone itself.
Myeloma can produce substances that can soften the bones (osteoporosis) or destroy areas of bone (lytic lesions).
When bone is damaged like this, it releases calcium into the blood and can cause a high level of calcium in the blood. This is called hypercalcaemia.
There are three major features of multiple myeloma:
• Bone destruction: the expansion of the abnormal plasma cells in the bone marrow causes destruction of normal bone. This causes bone pain, and may lead to fractures where the bone has been weakened.
• Bone marrow infiltration: the bone marrow is infiltrated by plasma cells. This means that normal blood cells cannot be produced, leading to low levels of red blood cells (anaemia), white blood cells (neutropaenia) and platelets (thrombocytopenia). Patients with multiple myeloma are at increased risk of developing infections, partly due to their impaired white cell production.
• Kidney impairment: the kidneys may be damaged in multiple myeloma in a number of ways. Bone destruction by plasma cells leads to increased levels of calcium in the blood (hypercalcemia), which is harmful to the kidneys. In addition, the abnormal immunoglobulins produced by the plasma cells can be deposited in the kidney tubules and cause damage. Overall, kidney failure occurs in approximately one quarter of multiple myeloma patients.
Tumour spread in multiple myeloma is usually confined to the bones and bone marrow only. Rarely, the tumour may spread to the spleen, lymph nodes, or other organs.
She has Multiple Myeloma, (short brief below) so we now know why she has been in so much pain and why she has suffered a number of broken bones.....sternum, ribs, collar bone and now while in hospital her arm..all caused by tumors or lesions on various bones including her spine where the most pain has originated...
Today she starts her first course of Chemotherapy treatment.
Last year when my Dad died, she was so thrilled at the wishes you guys passed on through the forum, she read every one!....so I would REALLY appreciate your help with a bunch of wishes to keep her spirits up.
Thanks for reading....
Multiple Myeloma
It is the most common primary bone tumour and is found in the spine, skull, ribs, sternum and pelvis.
It is a malignant tumour of plasma cells that causes widespread osteolytic bone damage.
Understanding Mutiple Myeloma - What is Multiple Myeloma?
Large numbers of abnormal plasma cells are made in the bone marrow. The abnormal plasma cells crowd out the normal bone marrow so that it cannot make enough normal blood cells. Myeloma also weakens the immune system and the level of normal antibodies is reduced.
The abnormal plasma cells make an antibody known as M-band or paraprotein. This paraprotein can be detected in the blood of most people who have multiple myeloma.
From the bone marrow, myeloma may spread into the bone itself.
Myeloma can produce substances that can soften the bones (osteoporosis) or destroy areas of bone (lytic lesions).
When bone is damaged like this, it releases calcium into the blood and can cause a high level of calcium in the blood. This is called hypercalcaemia.
There are three major features of multiple myeloma:
• Bone destruction: the expansion of the abnormal plasma cells in the bone marrow causes destruction of normal bone. This causes bone pain, and may lead to fractures where the bone has been weakened.
• Bone marrow infiltration: the bone marrow is infiltrated by plasma cells. This means that normal blood cells cannot be produced, leading to low levels of red blood cells (anaemia), white blood cells (neutropaenia) and platelets (thrombocytopenia). Patients with multiple myeloma are at increased risk of developing infections, partly due to their impaired white cell production.
• Kidney impairment: the kidneys may be damaged in multiple myeloma in a number of ways. Bone destruction by plasma cells leads to increased levels of calcium in the blood (hypercalcemia), which is harmful to the kidneys. In addition, the abnormal immunoglobulins produced by the plasma cells can be deposited in the kidney tubules and cause damage. Overall, kidney failure occurs in approximately one quarter of multiple myeloma patients.
Tumour spread in multiple myeloma is usually confined to the bones and bone marrow only. Rarely, the tumour may spread to the spleen, lymph nodes, or other organs.
