Myeloma develops and grows in the bone marrow – the soft tissue in the middle of our bone where all our blood cells are made. For this reason myeloma is sometimes referred to as bone marrow cancer.

Even though its symptoms include debilitating pain and bone damage, myeloma is a blood cancer. The production of important blood cells is disrupted in people who have myeloma.

In particular, lots of abnormal plasma cells are made. Plasma cells are an important part of our immune system, which make and release antibodies into the blood to fight infection. We need lots of different types of antibody to keep us healthy.

Unlike plasma cells, myeloma cells make very large amounts of one abnormal antibody, which is not able to fight infection. This antibody, called paraprotein, is dangerous because very high levels of it in the blood cause serious damage to the kidneys. Measuring paraprotein levels is important for diagnosing myeloma and helps doctors to choose the best treatment for each patient.

Myeloma also damages the bone. It does this by interfering with the way in which our body builds and repairs bone. This causes ‘holes’, called lesions, to form and results in serious bone damage. For this reason myeloma is sometimes wrongly referred to as bone cancer.

Why is the condition called multiple myeloma?

Myeloma usually develops at more than one place throughout the skeleton hence the name multiple myeloma. But it is often simply referred to as myeloma.

In cases where it only affects one place in the body it is called plasmacytoma. Plasmacytomas may also arise in tissues other than the bone. This is called soft-tissue plasmacytoma.

What are the signs and symptoms?