How does myeloma affect the body?
Myeloma can prevent your body from making new bone cells, causing problems like bone pain, weakened bones, and broken bones. Kidney problems. Myeloma cells produce harmful proteins that can cause kidney damage and even failure. Low blood counts.
Where does myeloma pain start?
Bone pain. Multiple myeloma can cause pain in affected bones – usually the back, ribs or hips. The pain is frequently a persistent dull ache, which may be made worse by movement.
Does myeloma make you feel ill?
Multiple myeloma can lower your body’s supply of white blood cells, which protect you from infections. It might make you feel more tired, too. Try to avoid people who are sick or other things that might make you likely to get sick.
Does myeloma affect legs?
Nerve damage: Myeloma proteins can be toxic to your nerves. This can lead to a condition called peripheral neuropathy that causes a pins-and-needles feeling, often in your legs and feet.
What is the life expectancy of a person with multiple myeloma?
The life expectancy for someone with multiple myeloma depends on the stage of the disease when diagnosed, according to the American Cancer Society. Stage I patients have a median survival rate of 62 months. Stage II patients have a life expectancy of 44 months, and stage III is 29 months.
How long a person can live with multiple myeloma?
Multiple myeloma is a very diverse disease and its survival ranges from 1-10 years; however, the median survival is 3 years in unselected patients. The 5-year survival rate of a person with multiple myeloma is 46.6\%.
What happens if multiple myeloma is left untreated?
Multiple myeloma, if left untreated, can lead to serious complications: Kidney failure. Bone fractures. High levels of calcium in the blood. Increased risk of infection, especially in the lungs. Weakness or loss of movement if a tumor presses on the spinal cord.