Myeloma Health Issues (Partners Meeting)

23^rd January 2025- Myeloma – Dr. Dean Smith

Dean gave us some of his background, coming from Spalding, doing a biology degree at Oxford, then getting into Haematology. Following various posts all over the UK he finished at Nottingham, now working for the University, doing research work in Myeloma, as well as consulting at the hospital.  He explained that myeloma is a type of blood and bone marrow cancer, with abnormal plasma cells in the bone with about 25 000 living with it in the UK, affecting mainly the over 70’s. Their treatment aims are: to *prolong life  *prevent damage to the bone  * achieve a better quality of life

The exact causes of myeloma are unknown, but it starts with abnormal production of plasma cells, which he showed in a diagram as purple cells with Y antibodies around it as normal, compared with a dark myeloma cell with paraprotein antibodies (of no use to the body)

How does this affect the body? Fatigue, pain, easily broken bones, recurring infection, probable kidney damage(clogging). There is an increase in bone cells being broken down, whilst replacement bone cells stay the same, so holes or thin regions of bone occur (lytic regions). Anaemia occurs as there is insufficient red blood cell production, low haemoglobin, which can be helped with transfusions or the epo drug.  The kidney problems cause decreased urine production and increased thirst.

What are the causes of myeloma? Inherited or possible exposure to environmental chemicals, it’s more common in men, with a 2:1 impact with ethnicity and MGUS (problems in the blood which may have a ‘screening’ solution/  A major cause of concern is the delay in diagnosis, around 163 day from enquiry to diagnosis, so there is a big push on improving patient awareness and then the treatment decisions with many chemotherapy options that can use clever targeting. Although it’s still not curable, the aims are to prolong life, balance the risks and benefits, all mainly outpatient treatment.

• • On average 5,900 people
    diagnosed with myeloma a year
  • Over 24,000 people
    living with myeloma in the UK
  • Myeloma accounts for
    15% of blood cancers and
    2% of cancers generally
  • Myeloma mostly affects people
    over the age of 65, but it has been
    diagnosed in people much younger

When Dean started his research in 2005 there were 3 ‘boxes’ of treatment, now there are 7. With supportive treatment, via radiotherapy, osteoporosis drugs, palliative care, psychologist advice and now immunotherapy, stem cell transplant (bone marrow).

Myeloma UK is the only charity organisation for myeloma, looking into preventing, treating via best practice, Clinical Service Exercise Programme with 73 hospitals across the UK and 24 registered.

A number of questions followed which Dean easily fielded and Doug congratulated Dean on his presentation, so all our members had a better understanding of the disease. Doug was  first diagnosed through his tiredness and was treated very successfully with lenalidomide for the first 3 years and although he has ‘holes in his bones’ all over, he’s still here and obviously had a very personal thanks to Dean and asked for a warm round of applause from the members, who had been captured by the very interesting and informative presentation.                                       AR