Multiple Myeloma

Myeloma is a type of blood cancer. Your blood contains white blood cells called plasma cells located in the soft centers of your bones (bone marrow). Myeloma occurs when these plasma cells become cancerous (malignant) and form tumors. When you have one tumor, doctors call the condition plasmacytoma. When there is more than one tumor, doctors call it multiple myeloma.

Multiple myeloma may cause bone damage and amyloidosis, a condition occurring when your bone marrow produces irregular proteins. It usually affects the bones in your:

• Hips
• Ribs
• Skull
• Spine

Myeloma destroys bone, causing pain or bone collapse. Some people have few to no symptoms of multiple myeloma, while others may have:

• Anemia, from having too little iron in the blood
• Bleeding problems
• Confusion, vision difficulties and headaches
• Fatigue and weakness
• Infections that keep coming back
• Kidney problems
• Loss of height
• Severe bone pain, especially in the back, or fractures
• Too much calcium in the blood

Sometimes, your doctor finds multiple myeloma when you have blood tests for a different condition. In other cases, your doctor may order tests because they think you could have the condition based on your symptoms.

Our doctors use several tests to diagnose multiple myeloma, including:

• Blood tests to look for certain blood proteins, check your kidney function, or look at blood counts, calcium levels and uric acid levels
• Urine tests to look for certain proteins in your urine
• X‑rays to look for signs of bone problems, such as lesions (growths) or widespread osteoporosis
• MRIs to help predict outcomes in early stages of multiple myeloma
• Bone marrow biopsies to take small samples of your bone marrow and evaluate the tissue under a microscope

While there is currently no cure for multiple myeloma, there are many effective treatments. Our blood cancer specialists work with other Cedars‑Sinai experts to:

• Give you long periods when you have no signs of the condition (remission)
• Improve your symptoms
• Maintain your quality of life
• Slow the progression of the disease

Your personalized treatment plan may include:

• Watchful waiting, which involves tracking the disease progression without active treatment
• Symptom management to control infections and anemia or to prevent kidney problems
• Chemotherapy and other drug therapies
• Radiation therapy
• Surgery to treat bone pain
• Bone marrow transplant

We offer access to leading‑edge treatments for myeloma through clinical trials. Our experts also research topics that may hold promise for improving myeloma treatment.

View open clinical trials.