What is multiple myeloma?
Multiple myeloma develops in a type of white blood cell called a plasma cell, found in the bone marrow. Bone marrow is the soft tissue inside your bones.
In multiple myeloma, these plasma cells start to grow out of control and become cancerous. They are known as myeloma cells and may form in multiple locations throughout the body.
Multiple myeloma is a rare cancer that affects the blood and bones
Normally, the bone marrow is responsible for making blood cells
Multiple myeloma affects one kind of white blood cell called a plasma cell. Plasma cells usually help the body fight off infection and disease.
In a person with multiple myeloma, the bone marrow makes too many plasma cells
Unfortunately, these plasma cells—which are now called myeloma cells—produce antibodies that don’t work properly. So they don’t do a very good job defending the body from getting sick. Because there are so many of them, they also crowd out other healthy cells, preventing the immune system from working the right way.
myeloma cells can continue to multiply and spread.
This can cause problems in other parts of the body.
