Multiple Myeloma

The world heath today is experiencing of cancer as a very dangerous disease. This illness often affects those individuals who are 65 years of age and above. Other predisposing factors are being an African -American and being from a family whose members have been suffered this kind of illness. Cancer can start from any part of the body as it starts it growth in cells. This can spread to other body parts casing great pain to the patients.
Multiple myeloma is a special kind of cancer caused by the malignant plasma cells. In this cancerous infection, the malignant plasma cells concentrate in the bone marrow, isolating the normally abundant plasma cells that help fight infections. These cells are different from the normal plasma cells that exist in the bone marrow whose main significance is to enhance the immune system of the body. In addition to these important cells, the immune system is made up of a variety of organelles that function is unity to achieve the resistance of the body against infections. This role has a key player cells called the lymphocytes. These cells are also known as the lymph cells.
Lymphocytes exist in two kinds, the T cells and the B cells. The two kinds of cells are high skilled protectors of the body. Whenever any germ tries to intrude the body, only the T cells and B cells that notice its entrance will fight back. They do this by quickly multiplying, creating an army of identical to help in fighting the germ.
In cases where the B cells act in response to a germ or infection, they evolve into the plasma cells. The plasma cells make the immunoglobulins that come in handy in making the body attack and kills intruding germs. Because of the weak nature of the body, the Lymphocytes are distributed all over the body parts including the lymph nodes and bloodstream. This is different from the plasma which is mainly found in the bone marrow.
In the wake of multiple myeloma, the plasma cells become cancerous themselves instigating the growth of the same cells in extraordinarily large numbers. The can lead to a production of a tumor called plasmacytoma. The tumor is known to develop in bones but can be rarely emerge in other tissues. There are cases when the tumor develops as single tumors while sometime it develops on several points on the bone. In cases of single tumor it is called solitary plasmacytoma while in cases of multiple plasmacytoma they are referred to as multiple myeloma.
Multiple myeloma can be identified through physical validation of some characteristics and medical examination. One of the major symptoms of this illness is the low blood count. As explained earlier the genesis of this illness is the overgrowth of plasma cells. This occasions the use of a lot of energy produced by the mitochondrion at the expense of other cells. Other cells can thus not perform their functions normally.
The overgrown of plasma cells in the bone marrow pushes out other cells out of the space, especially the blood forming cells leading to lessening of such cells. This results in low bold count. The patient can ultimately suffer from anemia. The patient can appear to very fatigued, pale and weak. Another cell which can be disfranchised is the platelets. As a result bleeding becomes excessive bleeding. Lastly the patient can develop leukopenia condition.
The abnormal plasma cells can also develop several light chains. The anti-bodies have got protein chains bound together. The chains are two which are of a heavy kind and tow light ones. The plasma cells can thus make too many of the light chains after which they become deposited in tissues on a regular basis making them accumulate. This accumulation can give rise to a condition amyloid. This kind of building up on the body tissues can over burden the functioning of the body organs occasioning malfunction. For example if the deposits are in the lungs it can cause difficulty in breathing and enlarging of the lungs making breathing impossible. In the heart it can cause irregular heart. This can cause the congestive heart failure. Other popular organ is the kidney where it can cause poor working condition of the kidney. In severe cases kidney failures may result.
The abnormal plasma cells have no function and cannot act to protect the body against infections. The normal plasma produces antibodies in the normal conditions to protect the body by fighting germs. However in multiple myeloma, the abnormal growing cells isolate the normal cells taking a large space in the bone marrows. This makes it impossible to fight back diseases causing germs leaving the body prone to infections. The myeloma cells could make antibodies but such cannot fight infections because the myeloma cells are similar to the same plasma cells.
Calcium problems can arise due to multiple myeloma. Because of the swellings in the bones the cells that take part in making the bones strong function is diminished. In normal conditions bones are constantly made to become strong. The kind of cells that perform his function is called the osteoblasts. Myeloma cells releases a special substance that instructs the osteoclasts to rapidly dissolve bones. This also prevents the osteoblast from receiving the signals to start up the renewing of bones. The bones are thus eaten away without any new bone tissues coming into existence. The bones as a results become weak and brittle. The bones can easily break.
The survival rate of patients suffering from this illness has been used in the past by doctors as a way of determining the prognosis. Many patients who have been diagnosed with cancer take a keen interest at the survival rate. The survival rate of cancer patient generally depends on the stage at which cancer has been diagnosed. Survival rate however is difficult to determine with a lot of specificity because there are a lot of factors that may determine how an individual encounters this illness. For instance, the factors such as age, the level of treatment received, and the emotional and psychological response of the patient to the illness.
In order to appreciate the survival rate of cancer patients it is important to look at the stages of cancer because each particular stage offers a different level of survival. The first stage is the smoldering stage; this is where the symptoms are not awakened. The myeloma cells are in the body but they are still yet to damage any bones or any other susceptible organs like the heart and kidney. In this stage detection of these cells is very difficult and may sometimes be impossible.
The ensuing stage is where is where the patient has a relatively small number of myeloma cells in the body. These cells can be found in the urine and blood. The presence of these cells reduces the hemoglobin levels below the normal level. During diagnosis, the illness can be detected but in a secluded area of the body.
This is another stage where the number of the myeloma cells has increased moderately. The hemoglobin levels continue declining becoming much lower than in the previous stage. Special cells known as monoclonal immunoglobulin may be increased and at the same time the body getting surplus calcium presence. Diagnosing in this stage is very accurate because the x-ray can show several sections of the body under infection.
The final stage of this illness is where there is excessive number of myeloma cells in the body especially in the bones. The hemoglobin level is as low as 8.5 grams per deciliter which the calcium levels remain high. The patient experiences multiple areas of bone destruction fractures.
Survival rate is predicated on comparison between the healthy individuals and those who suffer this illness. Stage 1 multiple myeloma cancer patients can survive approximately 62 months, stage 2 can survive approximately 44 months and stage 3, 29 months. The survival rate is predicted based on the time treatment starts and the strict adherence to medical instructions by the patient.
It is important to note the risk factors of multiple myeloma despite noting some above. The risk factors through not conclusive can give an idea of who should be more cautious about this illness. The occurrence of this illness is as a result of many risk factors acting in the same direction. The major factors include genetic makeup, occupational exposure, gender, race and age. Exposure to some chemicals and the work place and also radiations makes individuals susceptible to infection. For example those who work in the line of agriculture, petroleum, insecticide and cosmetologist are at higher risk compared to teachers and lawyers.
A large number of patients suffering from this illness have age as the most single predisposing factor. Most of the patients are 65 years of age and above and thus susceptibility worsens with the increase in age. Lastly, the structure of the chromosomes influences who suffers from multiple myeloma.
The diagnosis of multiple gives way for treatment. The best treatment is given according to the stage of diagnosis. Chemotherapy and associated drugs, bisphosphonates, surgery and cell planting are some of the immediate treatments offered by the medical provider.
Chemotherapy is the utilization of drugs to destroy and manage the spread of the harmful myeloma cells. These drugs are administered orally or through specialized machines which inject medicinal products into the veins and muscles. Once the drugs are introduced into the body, it reaches all cells in the body reacting to the threat. The effects of this medication are hair loss, mouth sores, loss of appetite and low blood count.
Radiation therapy uses focused high-energy x-ray particles which penetrate the organs of the body and destroy harmful cancer cells. This method can be used as an alternative to chemotherapy because it causes less pain. It is used mostly on the bone areas which may have not been cured during chemotherapy. The patient may lose sensation, weakening of muscles and develop problems with urination.
Lastly, in cell transplant, the patient is administered with high dose of chemotherapy, sometimes coupled with radiation method of treatment to kills cells in the bone marrow. The target is all cells including the myeloma cells. Once these cells are all killed, the patient is prepared to receive new set of cells through a transplant. Blood forming cells are in large number. The process of radiation and chemotherapy on the patient before a transplant can take a toll of the patient and thus drugs can be used long before the chemotherapy process to reduce the number of the harmful myeloma cells before ultimately using the transplant method.




References
Abraham J (2009). "Advances in multiple myeloma treatment: lenalidomide and bortezomib" Community Oncology. 6 (2): 53–55 Retrieved 18 September 18, 2017 from https://ipfs.io/ipfs/.../wiki/Multiple_myeloma.html