Current Trends In Leukemia, Lymphoma, And Myeloma – Physicians’ Education Resource and the Lurie Cancer Center will be holding a symposium at the Robert H. Lurie Medical Research Center Baldwin Auditorium in Chicago on January 16, 2009. The symposium will update cancer treatment providers on information presented during hematology conferences in 2008. Developments will be discussed through presentations, interactive case discussions, and Q&A opportunities. For more information, visit the conference Web site.

The Beast Feast – Local celebrity, Outdoors …

Multiple myeloma (also called myeloma or plasma cell myeloma) is a cancer of the plasma cells. Plasma cells are an important component of the immune system and are typically found in the bone marrow.

When functioning properly, plasma cells produce a variety of infection-fighting proteins called antibodies, or immunoglobulins. When a person has multiple myeloma, however, their plasma cells begin overproducing one type of abnormal antibody. This antibody is referred to as a monoclonal (M) protein. Monoclonal proteins cannot effectively …

There is not a single test or medical procedure that can accurately diagnose a patient for multiple myeloma. Instead, multiple factors are considered before a diagnosis is made. Please review the sections below for more information on these specific factors.

Blood Test

Blood tests show the components of the blood. When a person has myeloma, specific blood cells and proteins, which are identified through a test called protein electrophoresis, are present in excess amounts in the blood. For example, a …