Other complications of myeloma
Some of the complications of this disease have already been discussed, such as the risk of anemia. However, other complications directly associated with myeloma may occur. Because the disease attacks bone marrow cells, the bones themselves can become extremely weak. Without enough bone marrow to keep the bones strong, it is possible that the bones break without exerting any real force. This can weaken people and require additional medical care to effectively treat these problems.
Myeloma is a type of cancer that, after all, can cause a number of complications. It is still unclear why myeloma occurs or why some patients have almost no symptoms and others fall ill very quickly. In some cases, the disease process is so slow that doctors recommend close monitoring rather than aggressive treatment. At other times, cancer progresses rapidly and leads to many complications.
Some or all of the following symptoms may occur after the disease develops.
Nausea
As with many types of cancer, myeloma can cause nausea, and even then, not all patients will suffer from nausea. For those who do, it can be easier and then harder to progress through the disease. In some cases, nausea is strong enough to cause vomiting. Because cancer cells suppress healthy cells in the bone marrow, the patient may start to lose red blood cells. This means that the transport of oxygen through the body is lower due to the presence of a smaller number of red blood cells. Because the body fights for oxygen, the cascading effect can occur. This can cause nausea and vomiting, especially if the stomach is agitated due to lack of oxygenated blood.
A patient with too few red blood cells (and the resulting lack of oxygen) is considered anemic. This is only one of the possible complications of myeloma, and anemia can have a number of complications. These complications will be discussed later.