Multiple Myeloma -primary care review

Neoplastic proliferation of plasma cells in the bone marrow and occasionally in other organs as the liver , spleen and lymph nodes.

Rare disease which occurs predominantly in the geriatric population with a median age of diagnosis of about 70 yrs MM represents 1.8 % of all new cancer cases in the US 2nd most common haematological malignancy ( after lymphoma ) Seen more often in African Americans in comparison to European American population More common in men and extremely rare in those below 30 Generally not considered a genetic disease , although there is some evidence that genetic abnormalities in oncogenes as CMYC , NRAS and KRAS may play a role in development of plasma cell proliferation.

Malignancy of plasma cells characterized by malignant proliferation of monoclonal plasma cells in the bone marrow Plasma cell malignancies include a spectrum of conditions as○ monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance○ smoldering multiple myeloma ( SMM )○ clinical multiple myeloma○ plasma cell leukaemia In multiple myeloma plasma cells make a clone of itself and these malignant plasma cells or myeloma cells accumulate in the bone marrow. The malignant cells secrete an antibody , called the M protein or M-spike or paraprotein or myeloma...