WHAT IS MYELOMA? Myeloma sometimes referred to as Multiple Myeloma, is a type of bone marrow cancer. Bone Marrow is the spongy tissue found at the centre of some bones. It produces the body’s blood cells. Myeloma affects the plasma cells inside the bone marrow.
It does not usually take the form of a lump or a tumour, instead, the Myeloma cells divide and expand within the bone marrow, damaging the bones and affecting the production of healthy blood cells. Myeloma often affects many places in the body (hence called Multiple Myeloma) – commonly affected areas include the spine, skull, pelvis and ribs. WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF MYELOMA? During the early stages, Myeloma may not cause any symptoms, however, it will eventually cause a wide range of problems including: Pain in the bones, especially in the back, ribs and skull Weakness Fatigue Feeling of very thirsty Frequent infections and…
