Multiple Myeloma Exam With Verified
Solutions
What is Multiple Myeloma?
This is a bone marrow (B cell) cancer characterized by the proliferation of malignant plasma cells that
can aggregate into tumor masses and then become distributed throughout the skeletal and organ
systems resulting in multiple organ damage.
What is a Plasma Cell?
Immune cell that develops from a B-cell
Secretes Antibodies
malignant plasma cell
Malignant plasma cells from one clone of B cells
abnormally large amounts of 1 type of immunoglobulin (usually IgG, occasionally IgA or IgM)
What are Immunoglobulins?
Antibody (Ab) proteins produced by plasma cells as part of the immune system.
Binds to foreign antigens
Released by activated B cells
IG Stucture:
4 protein chains - two longer ones ("heavy chains") & two shorter ones ("light chains") connected by
disulfide bonds into a Y-shaped structure.
Myeloma Pathogenesis
May involve chromosomal translocations (or break points), oncogene mutation, inactivation of tumor
suppressor genes.
To some degree still don't understand how this happened or what caused the mutations or
translocations
what happens after chromosomal trans location
Marrow to blood stream, circulating to lymph nodes, develop more, then return to soft tissue or
marrow.
Soft tissue sites to form plasmacytoma
Can do damage in the bones
Ineffective antibody production leads to
Damage to bone, kidneys from antibodies, plasmacytomas
epidemiology
Median Age at Dx = 70yo
Incidence: ALL RACES, ALL GEOGRAPHY
Currently incurable**
2nd most prevalent blood cancer (after NHL)
Presentation
Solutions
What is Multiple Myeloma?
This is a bone marrow (B cell) cancer characterized by the proliferation of malignant plasma cells that
can aggregate into tumor masses and then become distributed throughout the skeletal and organ
systems resulting in multiple organ damage.
What is a Plasma Cell?
Immune cell that develops from a B-cell
Secretes Antibodies
malignant plasma cell
Malignant plasma cells from one clone of B cells
abnormally large amounts of 1 type of immunoglobulin (usually IgG, occasionally IgA or IgM)
What are Immunoglobulins?
Antibody (Ab) proteins produced by plasma cells as part of the immune system.
Binds to foreign antigens
Released by activated B cells
IG Stucture:
4 protein chains - two longer ones ("heavy chains") & two shorter ones ("light chains") connected by
disulfide bonds into a Y-shaped structure.
Myeloma Pathogenesis
May involve chromosomal translocations (or break points), oncogene mutation, inactivation of tumor
suppressor genes.
To some degree still don't understand how this happened or what caused the mutations or
translocations
what happens after chromosomal trans location
Marrow to blood stream, circulating to lymph nodes, develop more, then return to soft tissue or
marrow.
Soft tissue sites to form plasmacytoma
Can do damage in the bones
Ineffective antibody production leads to
Damage to bone, kidneys from antibodies, plasmacytomas
epidemiology
Median Age at Dx = 70yo
Incidence: ALL RACES, ALL GEOGRAPHY
Currently incurable**
2nd most prevalent blood cancer (after NHL)
Presentation
