People are being urged to know the signs of an incurable blood cancer affecting around 33,000 Brits. More than a third of people myeloma visit their GP at least three times before getting a diagnosis. The symptoms are often vague and too many sufferers experience delays, which can reduce the chances of successful treatment.
Professor Graham Jackson, an expert in haematology at Newcastle University and chief clinical and scientific advisor at charity Myeloma UK, is urging people to know the signs. He said: “Myeloma symptoms can be quite vague, and early symptoms like back pain can easily be ignored or incorrectly attributed to something else before a diagnosis.
“It is vital that if you notice any unresolved symptoms you speak to your GP as an early diagnosis means accessing treatment sooner, improving outlook and quality of life.”
Myeloma UK’s online symptom translator lists examples of symptoms in patients’ own words alongside the corresponding medical term for each.
The charity has also launched a campaign this Myeloma Awareness Week, featuring real people with myeloma sporting yellow warning signs painted directly onto the area of their body where their symptoms first started, in a bid to empower people to speak out if something isn’t right.
Chief executive Dr Sophie Castell said: “Myeloma has one of the longest times to diagnosis of any cancer. One of the biggest barriers remains identifying and piecing together the symptoms quickly and before too much damage is done.
“Know the warning signs, put your health first and help us catch myeloma earlier.” Here are the five signs of Myeloma:
1. Pain in your back or ribs
Back pain is often dismissed as a sign of getting older or a result of overdoing it when exercising or working.
But Prof Jackson said: “If your back pain persists and particularly if you get pain in your rib cage, this could be a sign of something more serious.
“Pain, including back/rib pain, is the most common symptom of myeloma, affecting up to 80% of patients at some point.
“Plasma cells form part of our immune system producing proteins called antibodies (immunoglobulins) to help our body fight infection.
“In myeloma, these plasma cells become abnormal, multiply uncontrollably and produce a large amount of a single type of antibody (known as paraprotein or M-protein) which has no useful function.
“The pain is caused by myeloma bone disease which thins bone, causing a dull pain and occasionally fractures. The pain may spread over a generalised area or may be more localised.”
2. Broken bones
Broken bones are more common in old age as bones become more brittle, but they could also be a sign of myeloma.
Three in four people with myeloma have evidence of bone disease at diagnosis, Prof Jackson said.
He explained: “The cancer cells interfere with the way bones are maintained causing them to thin or get holes in them (called lesions), which means they fracture more easily.
“At Myeloma UK, we have supported many people who have been to see their doctor because of pain only for scans to reveal they have holes or fractures in their bones that they didn’t even know they had.”
3. Recurring infections
Repeated virus or eye infections could be sign of something more serious. Myeloma reduces the number of infection-fighting white blood cells and antibodies in the blood, which can leave patients more susceptible to illness.
Prof Jackson said that too often doctors look at each infection separately without noticing a worrying trend.
He added: “We want to encourage doctors to ensure they look at their patient’s full history if they are having multiple infections and consider the bigger picture to see if there is something more serious going on. Blood tests can be a useful first step.”
4. Pins and needles
“If you get ‘pins and needles’ or tingling, have increased sensitivity to touch or numbness and pain, these could be warning signs of peripheral neuropathy which in turn could be a symptom of myeloma,” Prof Jackson said.
“The paraprotein produced by the cancer cells can damage the nerves that make up the peripheral nervous system — that’s the nerves outside the brain and spinal cord.
“This means the messages that they carry between the brain and the rest of the body can become distorted or interrupted.” Prof Jackson urged anyone who develops any new pain or sensations to discuss them with their GP.
5. Fatigue
It can be easy to ignore fatigue and think you are just tired, but severe fatigue should trigger a trip to the GP.
Prof Jackson said: “If you are feeling extreme lethargy or exhaustion all the time it isn’t normal so you really should get it checked out by a doctor or nurse.
Myeloma can cause anaemia, which in turn can make you feel exhausted, the doctor explained.
He added: “This is because the cancer affects your body’s production of healthy red blood cells which carry oxygen around your body.
“If you are living with pain this can also make you less active, affect your appetite, cause sleep problems and cause depression — all of which can lead to fatigue.”