[ping]

Can multiple myeloma "spread" like other cancers?

by ping on Thu Jul 02, 2015 6:12 am

Perhaps someone can shed some light on the following (perhaps simplistic) questions.

In many cancers, things are considered to "become bad" when the cancer has "spread". In myeloma, the very nature of the disease is such that it is "all over" since our blood is "all over".

Questions:

1. Does the concept of "the cancer has spread" apply to myeloma and what exactly does this expression mean in the context of myeloma?
    
2. Perhaps it means that it has spread into soft tissue?
    
3. Does extramedullary myeloma always mean that the myeloma has "spread", assuming the latter is properly defined?

Many thanks for any comments.

Ping

[Rneb]

Re: Can multiple myeloma "spread" like other cancers?

by Rneb on Thu Jul 02, 2015 3:17 pm

Rather than a long winded answer, I would suggest you search some of the excellent past posts here for- -"Solitary Extra-medullary tumors in multiple myeloma".

Then, after digesting those posts, you may be able to answer most of your specific questions, such as... "if it ain't Solitary, nor extra-medullary, ....then you will know the usual presentation / pathway/progression of multiple myeloma".

Good luck.