What causes this rare cancer?
Multiple myelomastarts with the abnormal growth of a plasma cell in the bone marrow.
Common Causes
The exact causes ofmultiple myelomahave not been established.
Illustration by Nusha Ashjaee, Verywell
Genetic Abnormalities
These are changes or mistakes in the DNA.
These mistakes are called mutations and they may cause plasma cells to become cancerous.
The DNA is packaged into chromosomes in the cells.
Approximately 42 percent of the people diagnosed with multiple myeloma have a deletion of chromosome 13.
They also have a higher incidence of resistance to traditional myeloma treatment regimes.
Each pop in of cancer has its own risk factors.
However, risk factors do not necessarily indicate that a person will get a specific bang out of cancer.
People with no risk factors at all often get a disease, including cancer.
Those having one (or even several) risk factors may never get a disease.
Generally, there are two types of risk factors, including non-modifiable and modifiable risk factors.
Non-Modifiable Risk Factors
Non-modifiable risk factors are those that cannot be changed.
For multiple myeloma, these include a number of factors.
Modifiable Risk Factors
Modifiable risk factors are those that can be changed.
These usually include lifestyle factors, such as diet and exercise.
Radiation exposure has been found to have a very strong link to myeloma as well.
Farmers and professional firefighters are also thought to have an increased risk of getting myeloma.
Each year, about 1 percent of people with MGUS develop multiple myeloma, or a related cancer.
The cause of MGUS is unknown.
As the incidence of myeloma continues to rise, so do the efforts to find a cure.
Frequently Asked Questions
Some patients with multiple myeloma won’t have any symptoms.
Multiple myeloma is sparked by changes or mutations that are acquired rather than inherited.
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