One year ago, Joan, my wife of 58 years, died of complications related to multiple myeloma, a blood cancer that can often go undiagnosed until it begins to seriously damage one’s health, as it did in her case.
I didn’t know much about the disease at the time, but I’ve learned a lot since then. March is Myeloma Awareness Month, and I want to share information that may be helpful to others.
Multiple myeloma affects plasma cells in the bone marrow, which can lead to bone lesions, including those in the spine. For the majority of patients, the most frequent early warning signs are:
- Increased total protein and/or an increase in IgG or IgA levels
- Abnormal protein in the urine
- Unexplained anemia
- Unexplained increase in serum creatinine
However, particularly in its early stages, multiple myeloma symptoms may be absent. Red flags that should warrant additional investigation include:
- Fatigue, severe tiredness or lethargy
- Frequent infections, fevers and/or chills
- Persistent or recurrent unexplained back or other bone pain
- Increased difficulty walking
Joan had most of these red-flag symptoms, and they worsened in the last years of her life. She experienced back pain for years and was diagnosed with spinal stenosis, for which she was prescribed physical therapy and pain medicine. Although her pain continued to worsen and her bloodwork showed signs of anemia, no one suggested the cause might be something more serious.
Multiple myeloma is the second most common blood cancer, yet many doctors encounter it infrequently, and it’s easy to confuse the symptoms with common symptoms of other illnesses and conditions, including arthritis, diabetes and Lyme disease.
Knowing what we know now, Joan should have undergone testing for multiple myeloma. Diagnosis typically involves several steps: blood and urine tests to detect abnormal proteins and irregular blood cell counts; a bone marrow biopsy to examine plasma cells; imaging scans to identify bone damage or tumors; and genetic testing to guide treatment decisions.
If testing had been done in a timely manner, Joan might have been diagnosed earlier. Though we’ll never know for sure, treatment could have lessened the suffering she experienced and extended her life.
As much as I would like a do-over, the best I can do now is to encourage others with symptoms of multiple myeloma to seek testing. As we grow older, it’s easy to believe that bone pain is simply a result of aging. But if you or a family member is experiencing pain without a clear underlying cause, or is experiencing pain alongside a constellation of other health issues, do not hesitate to ask for additional testing. That request could end up saving your life or the life of someone you love.
For further information, visit Blood Cancer United (bloodcancerunited.org) and the International Myeloma Foundation (myeloma.org).
Tony Cupaiuolo, professor emeritus at Pace University, lives in South Lake Tahoe. He is a volunteer ambassador with Blood Cancer United.
