Multiple Myeloma Research Paper

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The world heath today is experiencing of cancer as a very dangerous disease. This illness often affects those individuals who are 65 years of age and above. Other predisposing factors are being an African -American and being from a family whose members have been suffered this kind of illness. Cancer can start from any part of the body as it starts it growth in cells. This can spread to other body parts casing great pain to the patients.

Multiple myeloma is a special kind of cancer caused by the malignant plasma cells. In this cancerous infection, the malignant plasma cells concentrate in the bone marrow, isolating the normally abundant plasma cells that help fight infections. These cells are different from the normal plasma cells that exist in the bone marrow whose main significance is to enhance the immune system of the body. In addition to these important cells, the immune system is made up of a variety of organelles that function is unity to achieve the resistance of the body against infections. This role has a key player cells called the lymphocytes. These cells are also known as the lymph cells.

Lymphocytes exist in two kinds, the T cells and the B cells. The two kinds of cells are high skilled protectors of the body. Whenever any germ tries to intrude the body, only the T cells and B cells that notice its entrance will fight back. They do this by quickly multiplying, creating an army of identical to help in fighting the germ.

In cases where the B cells act in response to a germ or infection, they evolve into the plasma cells. The plasma cells make the immunoglobulins that come in handy in making the body attack and kills intruding germs. Because of the weak nature of the body, the Lymphocytes are distributed all over the body parts including the lymph nodes and bloodstream. This is different from the plasma which is mainly found in the bone marrow.

In the wake of multiple myeloma, the plasma cells become cancerous themselves instigating the growth of the same cells in extraordinarily large numbers. The can lead to a production of a tumor called plasmacytoma. The tumor is known to develop in bones but can be rarely emerge in other tissues. There are cases when the tumor develops as single tumors while sometime it develops on several points on the bone. In cases of single tumor it is called solitary plasmacytoma while in cases of multiple plasmacytoma they are referred to as multiple myeloma.

Multiple myeloma can be identified through physical validation of some characteristics and medical examination. One of the major symptoms of this illness is the low blood count.
As explained earlier the genesis of this illness is the overgrowth of plasma cells. This occasions the use of a lot of energy produced by the mitochondrion at the expense of other cells. Other cells can thus not perform their functions normally.

The overgrown of plasma cells in the bone marrow pushes out other cells out of the space, especially the blood forming cells leading to lessening of such cells. This results in low bold count. The patient can ultimately suffer from anemia. The patient can appear to very fatigued, pale and weak. Another cell which can be disfranchised is the platelets. As a result bleeding becomes excessive bleeding. Lastly the patient can develop leukopenia condition.

The abnormal plasma cells can also develop several light chains. The anti-bodies have got protein chains bound together. The chains are two which are of a heavy kind and tow light ones. The plasma cells can thus make too many of the light chains after which they become deposited in tissues on a regular basis making them accumulate. This accumulation can give rise to a condition amyloid. This kind of building up on the body tissues can over burden the functioning of the body organs occasioning malfunction. For example if the deposits are in the lungs it can cause difficulty in breathing and enlarging of the lungs making breathing impossible. In the heart it can cause irregular heart. This can cause the congestive heart failure. Other popular organ is the kidney where it can cause poor working condition of the kidney. In severe cases kidney failures may result.

The abnormal plasma cells have no function and cannot act to protect the body against infections. The normal plasma produces antibodies in the normal conditions to protect the body by fighting germs. However in multiple myeloma, the abnormal growing cells isolate the normal cells taking a large space in the bone marrows. This makes it impossible to fight back diseases causing germs leaving the body prone to infections. The myeloma cells could make antibodies but such cannot fight infections because the myeloma cells are similar to the same plasma cells.

Calcium problems can arise due to multiple myeloma. Because of the swellings in the bones the cells that take part in making the bones strong function is diminished. In normal conditions bones are constantly made to become strong. The kind of cells that perform his function is called the osteoblasts. Myeloma cells releases a special substance that instructs the osteoclasts to rapidly dissolve bones. This also prevents the osteoblast from receiving the….....

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