Myeloma is a blood cancer, that is currently incurable.
Despite being the third most common type of blood cancer, myeloma is frequently missed, as the symptoms, including back pain, easily broken bones, fatigue, recurring infection, and pins and needles are vague and often linked to general ageing or minor conditions.
WHAT IS MYELOMA?
- Myeloma is an incurable blood cancer that occurs in the bone marrow and currently affects more than 24,000 people in the UK.
- On average 16 people are diagnosed with myeloma every day in the UK.
- Despite being the third most common type of blood cancer, myeloma is especially difficult to detect as symptoms, chief among them pain, easily broken bones, fatigue and recurring infection, are often linked to general ageing or minor conditions.
- While it is incurable, myeloma is treatable in the majority of cases.
- Treatment aims to control the disease, relieve the complications and symptoms it causes, increase patients’ life expectancy and improve their quality of life. It generally leads to periods of remission, but patients inevitably relapse requiring further treatment.
- Myeloma is the 19th most common type of cancer.
- Myeloma mostly affects people aged 65 and over but it has been diagnosed in people as young as 20.
10 KEY STATISTICS
- Around 5,900 people are diagnosed with myeloma every year.
- Eight people die from myeloma every day.
- More than 3,000 people die from myeloma every year
- 73% of people diagnosed with myeloma every year are over 65
- Half of all myeloma patients will survive their disease for five years or more..
- Around one third of myeloma patients will survive their disease for ten years or more.
- Half of patients face a wait of over five months to receive the right diagnosis and around a third are diagnosed through an emergency route.
- A third of myeloma patients visit their GP at least three times before getting a diagnosis.
- Myeloma is the third most common type of blood cancer.
- Myeloma makes up 2% of all new cancer cases diagnosed ever year.
10 MYELOMA RED-FLAG SYMPTOMS
- Persistent or unexplained pain for more than 4–6 weeks, particularly in the back or ribs.
- Easily broken bones or unexpected fractures.
- Experiencing either frequent urination or minimal to no urination.
- Frequent or hard-to-clear infections.
- Swollen legs or abdomen.
- Tiredness that doesn’t improve with rest (fatigue).
- Nosebleeds or unexplained bleeding or bruising.
- Unexplained shortness of breath.
- Unexplained weight loss.
- Numbness in the feet, hands, or legs
