It is possible to mistake multiple myeloma for arthritis as they can mimic each other in symptoms.
It is difficult to diagnose multiple myeloma as multiple myeloma can mimic other health issues.
Multiple myeloma can sometimes be mistaken for arthritis as multiple myeloma can mimic other health issues including arthritis, influenza, diabetes and diabetes mellitus.
The main leading causes of multiple myeloma cancer are exposure to radiation and cancer causing chemicals.
Other common causes of multiple myeloma are cancer causing viruses, infections, anything that interferes with your immune system, atomic radiation and exposure to toxic chemical.
Myeloma is a tumor of the bone marrow, and involves a specific subset of white blood cells that produce a distinctive protein.
Leukemia can arise in either of two main groups of white blood cell types -lymphocytes or myelocytes.
The multiple myeloma cancer usually begins in an abnormal plasma cell in your bone marrow which is the soft, blood producing tissue which fills in the center of most of your bones.
The abnormal cells then multiply rapidly.
The first warning signs of multiple myeloma are.
Weight loss, Frequent Infections, Fatigue, Confusion or mental fogginess, loss of appetite, constipation, nausea and bone pain which most often occurs in your chest or spine.
Stage II or III multiple myeloma is characterized by an intermediate or high amount of cancer in the body.
Those with either of these stages of multiple myeloma often have bone complications as a result of their disease and usually experience symptoms that require treatment.
The life expectancy for people with multiple myeloma ranges from 62 months to 29 months depending on the stage of multiple myeloma the person has.
A person diagnosed with multiple myeloma lives on average of 62 months without treatment although some people with multiple myeloma may only live for only 44 months to 29 months depending on the stage of multiple myeloma the person has.
Average life expectancy for people with multiple myeloma is 62 months for Stage I, 44 months for Stage II, and 29 months for Stage III.
Multiple myeloma cancer can be found in blood tests.
Doctors who do routine blood tests sometimes find the presence of multiple myeloma in the blood.
During routine blood work and a routine blood test doctors do sometimes find multiple myeloma in the blood test.
So yes multiple myeloma can sometimes show out in routine blood work.
A CT scan can show myeloma and it's one of the tests that are done when diagnosing myeloma.
Multiple myeloma does show up on a CT Scan.
A CT scan as well as some other tests are used to diagnosed and detect multiple myeloma cancer.
Diagnosing multiple myeloma includes blood work, a 24-hour urine collection, a bone marrow biopsy, imaging studies (such as x-rays, MRIs, PET scans) and bone density tests.
Multiple myeloma makes you tired because the multiple myeloma lowers your body's supply of white blood cells which in turn causes fatigue.
The best treatment for multiple myeloma is corticosteroids such as dexamethasone and prednisolone which help destroy myeloma cells and make chemotherapy more effective.
People with multiple myeloma do tend to sleep a lot even when they get adequate sleep as multiple myeloma can cause fatigue which is normal.
The time it takes for multiple myeloma cancer to develop varies but on average it takes between 2 years to 19 years for the multiple myeloma to develop.
Some people have had multiple myeloma for years without knowing it.
Multiple Myeloma can be a slow growing cancer and it's slow growing in most cases.
Some people have multiple myeloma for months or years before they even know they're sick.
This earliest phase is called smoldering multiple myeloma.
When you have it, you won't have any symptoms, but your test results will show: At least 10% to 59% of your bone marrow is made up of cancerous plasma cells.
The signs of end stage multiple myeloma include.
Being sick to your stomach.
Bone pain in your back or ribs.
Bruising or bleeding easily.
Feeling very tired.
Fevers.
Frequent infections that are hard to treat.
Losing a lot of weight.
Not feeling like eating.
As multiple myeloma gets worse and gets into the end stage, you'll likely feel sicker, with fatigue or bone pain.
You may have anemia, bleeding problems, or a lot of infections.
Other symptoms of advanced multiple myeloma include unusual fractures, shortness of breath, weakness, feeling very thirsty, and belly pain.
The 3 stages of multiple myeloma is stage 1 which is the less severe and stage 2 which is more severe and stage 3 myeloma is the end stage of myeloma.
Stage II or III multiple myeloma is characterized by an intermediate or high amount of cancer in the body.
People with either of these stages of multiple myeloma often have bone complications as a result of their disease and usually experience symptoms that require treatment.
In multiple myeloma, stage 3 is the terminal stage.
This means it's the most advanced stage of this type of rare cancer.
Doctors use the international staging system to determine the stage of the cancer.
This system is based on the levels of serum beta-2 microglobulin and serum albumin.
The life expectancy for people with multiple myeloma ranges from as low as 29 months to as long as 62 months depending on how far advanced the multiple myeloma is.
You can live 20 years and sometimes longer with multiple myeloma.
However some people may live much longer than the life expectancy of multiple myeloma.
The median length of survival after diagnosis with multiple myeloma is 62 months for Stage I, 44 months for Stage II, and 29 months for Stage III.
Life expectancy depends on many factors, including the person's age, health, kidney function, and more.
There have been some people who have lived 20 years and a bit longer when they've been diagnosed with multiple myeloma.
The 10 year survival rate for multiple myeloma is 30%.
When people have multiple myeloma they have around a 30 percent survival rate with the multiple myeloma but with treatment you can usually increase your survival rate.
The first symptoms and signs of multiple myeloma usually include bone pain, spine and chest pain and even nausea.
Although sometimes people have multiple myeloma without any signs or symptoms.
Some people can have multiple myeloma for months or years before they even know they're sick with the disease.
This earliest phase of multiple myeloma is called smoldering multiple myeloma.
When you have it, you won't have any symptoms, but your test results will show: At least 10% to 59% of your bone marrow is made up of cancerous plasma cells.
If you don't treat multiple myeloma the multiple myeloma will progress and spread further and eventually kill you.
Although multiple myeloma still comes back it's a good idea to treat the multiple myeloma to prevent it from spreading and killing you too quickly.
With treatment you can live a little longer with the multiple myeloma.
A person can get multiple myeloma by and from exposure to toxic chemicals, atomic radiation, anything that interferes with the immune system, or infection with cancer-causing viruses have all been implicated as causes or triggers of myeloma.
Toxic chemicals that have been identified include: benzene. dioxins (such as those found in Agent Orange)
The people who are most likely to get multiple myeloma are people of ages 65 and above although some people younger and as young as age 35 get multiple myeloma.
Also if you have a history of cancer in your family then you're at an increased risk of developing multiple myeloma.
The disease and cancer multiple myeloma is a fatal disease.
Even with treatment the multiple myeloma can come back and still be fatal.