MULTIPLE MYELOMA

Course overview

MULTIPLE MYELOMA (MM) IS A CLONAL PLASMA CELL PROLIFERATIVE DISORDER CHARACTERIZED BY THE ABNORMAL INCREASE OF MONOCLONAL PARAPROTEIN LEADING TO EVIDENCE OF SPECIFIC END-ORGAN DAMAGE. MM IS PART OF THE SPECTRUM OF MONOCLONAL GAMMOPATHY. MONOCLONAL GAMMOPATHY OF UNDETERMINED SIGNIFICANCE (MGUS), IN OTHER WORDS, DETECTION OF MONOCLONAL IMMUNOGLOBULIN IN BLOOD OR URINE WITHOUT EVIDENCE OF END-ORGAN DAMAGE, HAS A PROGRESSION RISK TO MM OF ABOUT 1% PER YEAR. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE CAUSE, PATHOPHYSIOLOGY, PRESENTATION, AND DIAGNOSIS OF MM AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN THE MANAGEMENT OF THIS MALIGNANCY.