Both bone cancer and multiple myeloma are often mistaken for one another because they both involve the bones. Symptoms are even similar with bone pain and easily broken bones. However, they are in fact two different types of cancer. Bone cancer tumors develop inside the actual bone and are usually contained in that bone if found early enough. Multiple myeloma is a blood cancer that forms in white blood cells that are inside the bone marrow. It usually spreads to other bones and is treated as a widespread disease.
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Although multiple myeloma is the second most common blood cancer, not many people are familiar with the disease or aware of what the signs and symptoms are. Considering this, our cancer specialists at Compass Oncology have decided that now seems like the perfect time to both educate and empower people regarding this disease.
Multiple myeloma is defined as a cancer of the bone marrow plasma cells. Plasma cells are a type of white blood cell that helps fight infections in the body. When myeloma cells form and multiply beyond control, they crowd out normal plasma cells, which causes cancer.
While the exact cause of multiple myeloma is still unclear, scientists have made progress in understanding how the disease develops. Recently, researchers have found that genetic factors (changes or mutations in the DNA) may influence the development of multiple myeloma.