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How is Multiple Myeloma Diagnosed?

Symptoms of Multiple Myeloma are often vague and the diagnosis is often delayed, sometimes by as long as a matter of months. This probably makes no difference to the long-term outcome for those patients with early myeloma who do not need immediate treatment. However if a delay in diagnosis has led to organ damage (eg kidney failure ), then that will have a negative effect on the person's outcome.

Prognosis Of Multiple Myeloma

As with many other types of cancer, the outcome depends on how advanced your cancer is when it is diagnosed. In other words, the stage of your myeloma. Another important factor in myeloma is your age and fitness, and the type of treatment you have. There are some very intensive treatments available for myeloma and you have to be well enough to get through them if your doctor is going to consider them for you. Doctors do not discriminate on grounds of age 'C it really is your fitness that is the issue.

Blood and urine tests for Multiple Myeloma

A blood test called serum protein electrophoresis separates your blood proteins and can detect the presence of M proteins in the blood. Parts of M proteins may also be detected in a test of your urine '' when found in urine, they're referred to as Bence Jones proteins.

If your doctor discovers M proteins, you'll likely need additional blood tests to measure blood cell counts and levels of calcium, uric acid and creatinine. Your doctor may also conduct other blood tests to check for beta-2-microglobulin '' another protein produced by myeloma cells '' or to measure the percentage of plasma cells in your bone marrow.

Laboratory Tests for Multiple Myeloma

The goals of testing for multiple myeloma are to diagnose the condition, determine its severity and spread, monitor its progress, detect complications as they arise, and monitor the effectiveness of treatment. Multiple myeloma may first be detected during routine wellness testing, showing up as an abnormal total protein level, an elevated calcium level, a low white or red blood cell count, and/or moderate to large amounts of protein in the urine. Findings such as these may raise suspicions but are not diagnostic, as similar abnormalities may be seen with a variety of other conditions. They simply indicate the need for further testing.

As with many other types of cancer, the outcome depends on how advanced your cancer is when it is diagnosed. Knowing the signs early can save your life! Find out more about Multiple Myeloma at http://www.eask.info