Multiple myeloma, a disease caused by the abnormal differentiation and proliferation of plasma cells, a type of white blood cell, weakens the bones and causes pain and fractures. It is characterized by symptoms appearing as the cells proliferate in various parts of the body. The story of a woman in the UK who was diagnosed with multiple myeloma after visiting a hospital for a lump on her head has recently been reported.
According to ‘BBC’ on the 24th, local time, Katrina Fox, 38, who lives in Medway, UK, discovered a pea-sized lump above her forehead in 2021. Her doctor initially diagnosed it as a harmless cyst, but the lump grew rapidly and swelled to the size of a golf ball. Katrina underwent imaging tests at a hospital to have the lump removed. The results revealed a 3-centimeter gap in her skull and the presence of a tumor. There were also multiple lesions and holes in her skull.
The lump on her forehead was confirmed to have been caused by a solitary plasmacytoma, a mass of abnormal cells. According to the National Cancer Institute, when abnormal cells form a single tumor in bone or soft tissue, it is classified as a plasmacytoma, while multiple tumors are classified as multiple myeloma. Katrina was subsequently diagnosed with multiple myeloma after undergoing tests including a bone marrow biopsy. Medical staff told her that she would be unlikely to survive for more than a year if she did not begin treatment immediately.
Katrina underwent a stem cell transplant and six rounds of chemotherapy. She also underwent surgery to insert a titanium mesh to close the holes in her skull. She is currently taking anticancer medication. She said, “I had previously experienced severe fatigue and rib pain, but at the time I thought they were fatigue caused by work and a sprain,” adding, “At first, doctors told me I had only a year to live, but now I am grateful simply to have outlived that prognosis.”
Multiple myeloma occurs primarily in older adults aged 65 and over and is more common in men. Its exact cause is unknown. It is believed to be caused by exposure to radiation and chemicals, immune system abnormalities, and genetic factors. The most common symptom is pain in the lower back and ribs caused by osteoclasts destroying bone tissue. The pain worsens with movement, and the painful area tends to shift. When bone tissue is destroyed and excessive amounts of calcium enter the bloodstream, severe hypercalcemia can occur. Typical symptoms include dehydration, fatigue, weakness, thirst, impaired consciousness, and loss of appetite. Kidney failure, anemia, pneumonia, and urinary tract infections may also occur.
Blood, urine, and bone marrow tests are performed for diagnosis. Computed tomography, CT, and magnetic resonance imaging, MRI, are used to assess the extent of bone destruction and the size of the tumor. Treatment options include chemotherapy and autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, in which a patient’s own hematopoietic stem cells are collected, high-dose anticancer drugs are administered, and the collected hematopoietic stem cells are transplanted. However, multiple myeloma often recurs even after treatment. If a patient has not undergone autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation after a relapse, it may be attempted, and if existing anticancer drugs have been administered, switching to targeted therapy may also be considered. The treatment approach and medications after relapse are selected after considering the patient’s health and coexisting conditions.
According to ‘BBC’ on the 24th, local time, Katrina Fox, 38, who lives in Medway, UK, discovered a pea-sized lump above her forehead in 2021. Her doctor initially diagnosed it as a harmless cyst, but the lump grew rapidly and swelled to the size of a golf ball. Katrina underwent imaging tests at a hospital to have the lump removed. The results revealed a 3-centimeter gap in her skull and the presence of a tumor. There were also multiple lesions and holes in her skull.
The lump on her forehead was confirmed to have been caused by a solitary plasmacytoma, a mass of abnormal cells. According to the National Cancer Institute, when abnormal cells form a single tumor in bone or soft tissue, it is classified as a plasmacytoma, while multiple tumors are classified as multiple myeloma. Katrina was subsequently diagnosed with multiple myeloma after undergoing tests including a bone marrow biopsy. Medical staff told her that she would be unlikely to survive for more than a year if she did not begin treatment immediately.
Katrina underwent a stem cell transplant and six rounds of chemotherapy. She also underwent surgery to insert a titanium mesh to close the holes in her skull. She is currently taking anticancer medication. She said, “I had previously experienced severe fatigue and rib pain, but at the time I thought they were fatigue caused by work and a sprain,” adding, “At first, doctors told me I had only a year to live, but now I am grateful simply to have outlived that prognosis.”
Multiple myeloma occurs primarily in older adults aged 65 and over and is more common in men. Its exact cause is unknown. It is believed to be caused by exposure to radiation and chemicals, immune system abnormalities, and genetic factors. The most common symptom is pain in the lower back and ribs caused by osteoclasts destroying bone tissue. The pain worsens with movement, and the painful area tends to shift. When bone tissue is destroyed and excessive amounts of calcium enter the bloodstream, severe hypercalcemia can occur. Typical symptoms include dehydration, fatigue, weakness, thirst, impaired consciousness, and loss of appetite. Kidney failure, anemia, pneumonia, and urinary tract infections may also occur.
Blood, urine, and bone marrow tests are performed for diagnosis. Computed tomography, CT, and magnetic resonance imaging, MRI, are used to assess the extent of bone destruction and the size of the tumor. Treatment options include chemotherapy and autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, in which a patient’s own hematopoietic stem cells are collected, high-dose anticancer drugs are administered, and the collected hematopoietic stem cells are transplanted. However, multiple myeloma often recurs even after treatment. If a patient has not undergone autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation after a relapse, it may be attempted, and if existing anticancer drugs have been administered, switching to targeted therapy may also be considered. The treatment approach and medications after relapse are selected after considering the patient’s health and coexisting conditions.