[floridagirl]

Are there different types of multiple myeloma?

by floridagirl on Tue Nov 19, 2013 9:43 pm

Hi All,

My father was recently diagnosed with multiple myeloma although the biopsy is not back yet. My question is, what exactly can the biopsy tell us?

Are there different types of multiple myeloma cells that are treated differently?

For instance I had breast cancer a few years ago. BC cells can be one of 3 types of cells. Each are treated quite differently with the worst of them be next to impossible to treat and very unresponsive to most therapies.

Does multiple myeloma have similar characteristics? Or are some cells just more aggressive or what can they tell exactly from the biopsy?

Waiting with no information is absolute torture so any info is appreciated from those of you that have probably already been down this road.

THANK you!

[Beacon Staff]

Re: Are there different types of multiple myeloma?

by Beacon Staff on Tue Nov 19, 2013 10:21 pm

Yes, myeloma is not really one uniform disease. In fact, many myeloma specialists now talk about there being many different kinds of multiple myeloma ("multiple multiple myelomas").

The reality is that some forms of myeloma are more aggressive than others ... sometimes MUCH more aggressive. Researchers are still trying to determine all the factors that make some forms of myeloma more aggressive than others.

However, in the meantime, one of the key things they focus on is whether a patient's myeloma cells have chromosomal abnormalities (and, if there are such abnormalities, what kind there are).

These abnormalities are determined by tests carried using the myeloma cells taken from the bone marrow biopsy. That's one reason the biopsy is important.

You can read more about how the abnormalities affect the aggressiveness of a patient's myeloma in this article:

"Experts Publish Consensus Risk Classification For Multiple Myeloma"

[floridagirl]

Re: Are there different types of multiple myeloma?

by floridagirl on Tue Nov 19, 2013 10:36 pm

Thank you for that info, reading it now.

One more question....when they biopsied him, the biopsied his hip, which is not an area that shows as a spot that has myeloma on the scans. Is this normal? Are the myeloma cells assumed to be everywhere in his marrow that is why they can just biopsy a different area???

Thanks

[kjpoppit]

Re: Are there different types of multiple myeloma?

by kjpoppit on Wed Nov 20, 2013 12:20 am

From what I understand, your cells are developed in your bone marrow all throughout your bones. The greatest area to generate and hold your stem cells is in the hip area. Best wishes for your dad.

[darnold]

Re: Are there different types of multiple myeloma?

by darnold on Fri Nov 22, 2013 7:32 pm

The two common areas for biopsies are the hip and the sternum. I've had 6 or 7 in my hips. One thing to note -- if either hip has osteopenia or osteoporis, it can be a problem for getting a bone sample. I learned that one the hard way. My left hip has osteopenia and won't be used for a biopsy again. We could drawn marrow from it, just not a bone fragment.

[Multibilly]

Re: Are there different types of multiple myeloma?

by Multibilly on Fri Nov 22, 2013 7:50 pm

As the Beacon staff stated, the biopsy will provide you with important genetic clues regarding the disease. But just as important, the test will also measure the percentage of plasma cells inside your bones. This will give you a good indicator of how much the disease has developed. Folks with multiple myeloma have an excess of plasma cells (plasma cells normally make up less than 5% of the cells in your bone...with multiple myeloma patients, this number will be higher).