Multiple myeloma

The multiple myeloma, or multiple myeloma (it is a generalized plasmacytoma and Rustitsky-Kalera's disease), belongs to hemoblastoses – malignant tumors of blood cells. At a multiple myeloma the blood plasma cells which are a part of immune system, namely V-limotsity are involved in tumoral process. Development of a tumor happens in marrow from where malignant cells extend on an organism. The myeloma meets infrequently, making a little more than 3% of all oncological pathology, strikes to the same extent both women, and men.

Reasons of a multiple myeloma

Authentically origins of a multiple myeloma are not established. As well as at other types of hemoblastoses, the ionizing radiation, environmental pollution and contact with carcinogens, especially with oil products and intermediate products of oil refining matters. However these factors belong to risk factors of formation of a myeloma rather, than directly to its reasons as a feedforward between them is not revealed.

The most important "damaging" factor in case of a multiple myeloma are age changes. Average age of patients with a myeloma makes 70 years, human cases more young are registered than 40 years extremely seldom.

Types of a multiple myeloma

The multiple myeloma differs on extent of distribution of tumor cells:

• Diffusion myeloma. Malignant cells are disseminated on all organism;
• Focal myeloma. The tumoral centers are in various bodies: in an oral cavity, respiratory tract, kidneys, ovaries, intestines, soft tissues. Tumors, as a rule, multiple, very seldom come to light the single centers of a myeloma. It is an intermediate stage, in the absence of treatment of a myeloma always passing into a focal and diffusion form;
• The focal and diffusion myeloma combining signs of the first two types.

On character of a current the multiple myeloma can be

• Slow, or smoldering;
• Active;
• Aggressive.

Also the myeloma is differentiated on the cellular structure:

• Plazmoblastny;
• Plazmotsitarny;
• Small-celled;
• Polymorphocellular.

There is also an immunochemical classification of a myeloma which is of interest generally to specialists.

Myeloma symptoms

Long time symptoms of a myeloma can not be found.

The first symptom of a myeloma in most cases is the ostealgia which does not have the reasons and badly removable by means of analgetics. It is characteristic that pains amplify at night, they are sometimes so intensive that a sick myeloma cannot fall asleep. Bones at a multiple myeloma become brittle, their frequent changes are a consequence of what, sometimes in absolutely insignificant occasion – the person can stumble or sprain slightly a leg and get a bone fracture. The change can sometimes be even spontaneous.

As the cells of a blood plasma involved in malignant process cease to perform function on development of antibodies, the organism of the patient with a myeloma is subject to various infectious diseases. Frequent colds, a pustulous infection, a bad zazhivlyaemost even of small superficial wounds – one of the main symptoms of a myeloma.

Characteristic symptom of a myeloma is also pathology of kidneys. At a multiple myeloma of a kidney do not cope with loading, up to development of a renal failure. Hypostases, pain in a waist, feeling sick – the myeloma symptoms caused by a nephropathy (damage of kidneys). General decline in quality of life: bystry fatigue, small appetite, a low-quality dream, weakness, irritability are also signs of this type of a blood cancer.

It is necessary to consider that any of the listed symptoms of a myeloma is not inherent only to this disease.

Diagnosis of a myeloma

Diagnosis of a multiple myeloma includes quite large number of researches, the most important of which are:

• Blood tests and urine;
• Marrow puncture with the subsequent biopsy;
• X-ray inspection of bones;
• Computer or magnetic and resonant tomography which allow to reveal the tumoral centers in fabrics;
• Immunodiagnosis.

Treatment of a myeloma

Treatment of a myeloma depends on a stage of a disease and degree of aggression of tumoral process. In certain cases the slow multiple myeloma does not demand special treatment, only constant medical observation. Start therapy in case of activation of a disease. Active and the more so aggressive myeloma forms, demand immediate medical intervention.

Basis of treatment of a myeloma is the polychemotherapy – drug treatment by means of a combination of several cytostatic drugs, several courses at once. Supplement chemotherapy with reception of the hormonal drugs eliminating some side effects and doing cytostatics by more effective. Important place in treatment of a myeloma is taken by immune therapy by means of which it is possible to prolong the remission period even in cases of persistent disease. Apply also radiation of the centers of a tumor and some additional methods of impact on tumor cells of a blood plasma (a plasma exchange, etc.).

If treatment of a myeloma cytostatics does not result in desirable result, that is it is not possible to achieve remission or at least to suspend development of a tumor, resort to bone marrow transplantation or stem cells of blood. Transplantation of marrow and stem cells often helps with the most hard cases.

Surgical treatment of a myeloma is applied to removal of the big tumoral centers, to fixing of brittle bones, to squeezing elimination by a tumor of nerve terminations or the main vessels. Thus, surgical treatment of a myeloma is only an additional method.

The forecast at a myeloma

The forecast of a myeloma directly depends on that, tumoral process and that how the disease is early diagnosed is how active and adequate treatment of a myeloma is begun.

At a slow myeloma forecast favorable in most cases.

In general the multiple myeloma belongs to hemoblastoses with high degree of a zlokachestvennost.

The forecast of a myeloma based on data of medical statistics is as follows: the patients with a myeloma who received treatment at the first stage survive within 5 years after diagnosis in 50% of cases. Patients with a myeloma, whose treatment was begun at the second stage – in 40% of cases, and only 15% of patients with the myeloma diagnosed at the third stage survive within five years.

Observance by patients with a myeloma of a healthy lifestyle, refusal of addictions, transition to healthy nutrition, occupations physiotherapy exercises for strengthening of the ossa and observance of the drinking mode for the purpose of maintenance of kidneys, allow to improve several the forecast at a myeloma.