What It's Like Living With Myeloma Cancer

Multiple myeloma, also known as myeloma, is a type of blood cancer. Myeloma specifically causes white blood cells to grow abnormally in the bone marrow and spread throughout the body. If you or a loved one has received a myeloma diagnosis, it is important to know what to expect about life with this condition.

Risk Factors and Diagnosis

The exact causes of myeloma are unknown. You are more likely to be diagnosed with myeloma if you are male, over 45 years old, and/or African American. One major risk factor includes living with a preexisting condition called monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS), a non-cancerous condition that sometimes develops into myeloma. People who are living with MGUS usually undergo testing once or twice a year to check for signs of myeloma.

Myeloma is usually detected through a blood test, which would reveal abnormally high levels of certain proteins and other elements in the blood. A urine test would also show high protein levels. If your blood and urine tests are abnormal, the next step may be a bone marrow biopsy and imaging scans. A combination of test results and symptoms will lead to an ultimate myeloma diagnosis.

Managing Symptoms

In the early stages of myeloma, you may experience symptoms such as pain in your bones, fractures, fever, infections, bruising, bleeding, shortness of breath, arm and leg weakness, and severe fatigue. Some people do not experience any symptoms at all.

Coping with the symptoms of myeloma is hard. However, there are certain steps you can take on a daily basis to manage your condition.

• Get enough rest to combat fatigue. Practicing good sleep hygiene can help you sleep for eight to ten hours per night. Make sure to ask for help with daily tasks in order to save your energy for essential parts of your daily routine.
• Even though your energy is limited, try to participate in low-impact exercises such as short walks, swimming, and gardening. This can help improve your mood, sleep, and pain while protecting you from bone injury.
• Eating healthy foods and drinking plenty of water can keep you in shape and raise your energy levels. Make sure to get a balanced diet filled with whole grains, lean protein, healthy fats, fruits, and vegetables. Eating enough calcium can help to strengthen your bones. Water helps keep your kidneys healthy through your myeloma treatment.

Treatment and Remission

There are three stages of multiple myeloma. Stage I is the mildest and Stage III is the most severe. Including all three stages, people diagnosed with multiple myeloma between 2011-2017 had a 56% average 5-year-survival rate. However, that number is much higher for those whose myeloma was detected early, with a 5-year-survival rate of 78%.

Treatment for myeloma includes a combination of targeted therapy, immunotherapy, corticosteroids, chemotherapy, radiation, and bone marrow transplant. These therapies have a number of side effects, as they damage more cells in your body than just your cancer cells. Side effects can include bone pain and degradation, infections, kidney complications, and anemia. Other medications or treatments may help you manage these side effects.

You may also seek out complementary and alternative treatments to manage symptoms and side effects. This could include mindfulness and meditation and art therapy, which have been shown to have positive impacts on longevity for those living with cancer.

Because myeloma is a progressive condition, it is essential to work closely and regularly with your healthcare team. This team may include doctors, nurses, physical therapists, counselors, and support groups. Try to build a strong support system that you trust, because it is just as essential to take care of your mental health as it is to take care of your physical health when living with myeloma.

(Devdiscourse's journalists were not involved in the production of this article. The facts and opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of Devdiscourse and Devdiscourse does not claim any responsibility for the same.)