Yes, extreme fatigue is a common symptom among multiple myeloma patients. The fatigue may arise from the disease itself, the body’s response to abnormal proteins produced by cancerous cells, anemia often associated with myeloma or as a side effect of treatments. Fatigue can significantly impact quality of life. Regular checkups, managing anemia and supportive therapies […]

While multiple myeloma primarily affects bone marrow, it’s possible, although rare, for the disease to manifest outside the marrow, forming plasmacytomas in various sites. However, brain involvement remains exceedingly uncommon. If brain lesions are observed in a myeloma patient, it’s essential to consider other potential causes, including metastasis from another primary cancer, infections or other […]

A PET scan provides images of the body’s metabolic activity, making it a powerful tool for detecting various cancers, including multiple myeloma. Active myeloma lesions will typically show up on a PET scan as they absorb more of the radioactive glucose used in the scan. Not only can a PET scan identify active myeloma sites […]

Yes, patients with multiple myeloma are typically immunocompromised. Multiple myeloma is a cancer of the plasma cells, which play a vital role in the immune system. The disease itself, along with treatments like chemotherapy, bone marrow transplantation or certain medications, can compromise the immune system. This makes patients more susceptible to infections. Therefore, it’s crucial […]

Lymphoma is a general term for cancers that affect the lymphatic system. Hodgkin’s lymphoma (HL) is a specific subtype of lymphoma, distinguished by the presence of Reed-Sternberg cells. Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) encompasses various other lymphatic cancers that do not have Reed-Sternberg cells. These two types differ in terms of their cell characteristics, behavior and treatment […]

Hodgkin’s lymphoma and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma are two distinct types of lymphatic system cancers. One key difference is the specific type of cancer cells involved: Hodgkin’s lymphoma is characterized by the presence of Reed-Sternberg cells, which are large and abnormal lymphocytes, while non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma encompasses a diverse group of lymphatic cancers involving various types of lymphocytes. […]

The term “refectory” refers to a situation in which the lymphoma does not respond to treatment or the response to treatment doesn’t last very long and the cancer cells continue to grow.