A multiple myeloma is a common form of cancer which develops in plasma cells. These cells fight infection but when they grow abnormally, they take over the healthy cells and these diseased cells then spread to other parts of the body. Multiple myeloma is not entirely curable, might have been cured, there are possibilities of it relapsing. Symptoms may or may not be visible which include pain, easily fractured bones, frequent infections, fevers, frequent urination because of excessive thirst, nausea, loss of appetite and loss of body weight. In the majority of the cases treatment is not initiated until the appearance of symptoms.

Staging in Multiple Myeloma

The tracking of the patient’s progress and prescription of the right set of treatments invariably depends on the stage to which the multiple myeloma has advanced. Multiple myeloma is divided into four stages:

• Stage I

  Stage 1 also known as the Smoldering Stage by some doctors, it is the one in which the symptoms are present but dormant. They are not causing any damage to the organs and may remain undetected in the blood.

• Stage II

  A small number of myeloma cells can be traced in the samples of blood and urine. X-rays of bone are nearly normal or show a solitary affected area along with a slight dip in the hemoglobin levels.

• Stage III

  A considerable increase in the myeloma cell count and more visible bone damage, as well as high calcium levels and lower than normal hemoglobin in the blood, signify the onset of stage 3.

• Stage IV

  In the final stage, the body becomes imbalanced with a high amount of myeloma cancer cells and excessive high calcium levels in the blood and dangerously low levels of hemoglobin. Moreover, bones are damaged in multiple places.

Unfortunately, it is a point of no return. It can only be managed with considerable support and care.

Survival rates

A cancer society has listed average survival rates by stages which are based on a comparison of people with myeloma to those who don’t have cancer. They are calculated from the time of initiation of treatment. A host of factors affect the average survival rate like the extent of the disease, age of the patient, genetics, set of therapies prescribed etc. Myeloma is the 14th most common kind of cancer but the risk of developing it in a lifetime is 0.7%. Multiple myeloma is always diagnosed in people above the age of 65 years and above. Science has not been able to explain this but it rarely affects people below the age of 35. It should be safely considered that half of the people with multiple myeloma survive longer than the average duration of each stage. This data pertains to the last 5 to 25 years.

• Stage I: 62 months
• Stage II: 44 months
• Stage III: 29 months

The survival rates are expected to improve dramatically as the treatment, procedures, drugs are being improved upon with new research and medical technology. The diagnosis of multiple myeloma is painful and is difficult to comprehend even by the bravest of those amongst us. With the help caregivers and loved ones, the patient can lead a life of hope and happiness.

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