There is no clear data on what causes Multiple Myeloma. However, doctors are clear that Myeloma cells attack the bone marrow, which then multiply in the body. Since, cancer cells don’t mature; they accumulate into multiple cells and stop the function of healthy cells.
Risk Factors
There are certain risk factors that cause Multiple Myeloma-
- Increase in the Age- Multiple Myeloma usually attacks people who are above 40yrs. usually, the diagnosis starts showing post 60yrs.
- Family History- In case, if any of your family has Multiple Myeloma cancer case, then there is a huge risk of getting into the body of any family member.
There are few studies, which show how abnormalities exist in plasma cells. These abnormalities further affect healthy cells in the bone marrow. There are also cases of abnormalities in chromosomes. One of the finding shows that in Myeloma cells parts of chromosome number 17 missing.
In many cases, certain cells in the bone marrow called as Dendritic Cells keeps releasing interleukin-6 (IL-6) hormone. Excessive release by plasma cells can also cause the development of Multiple Myeloma.
How will you know if you have Multiple Myeloma?
Multiple myeloma is considered a comparatively rare cancer that develops in a person’s bone marrow. When the cancerous plasma cells do gather in the marrow, then they crowd out in other healthy blood cells. It results in several symptoms, like anemia, infection, bleeding, and bruising.
Again, the myeloma cells do also increase the cells’ activities known as osteoclasts. This lessens the activities of osteoblasts, thus, causing the bones to melt at a quicker rate compared to when they were formed. It might damage and weaken the bones resulting in pain.