Multiple myeloma

Multiple myeloma arises when plasma cells, white blood cells that help fight infections, begin to develop abnormally. Those cells crowd out the healthy cells in your bone marrow and may also form tumors. Over time, they can cause a wide range of symptoms, from calcium build-up and kidney problems to anemia, bone lesions and fractures.

What is Multiple Myeloma?

Multiple myeloma is a cancer of plasma cells, a type of white blood cell found in the bone marrow. Healthy plasma cells create antibodies in response to infections and are an important part of the immune system. When plasma cells become cancerous, they can crowd out normal white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets, all of which are made in the bone marrow. The disease is called “multiple” because it often affects several areas of the body, and “myeloma” because it affects the bone marrow.

Multiple myeloma can begin with no symptoms, a condition called “smoldering” myeloma, and if symptoms arise, that is considered active myeloma.