What Is Multiple Myeloma? A Look Inside This Bone Marrow Cancer

When you think of a blood cancer, you may automatically think it’s a type of cancer that affects that red stuff coursing through your veins. While that’s not completely incorrect, blood is far more complex than what meets the eye. There are actually many different types of blood cancer that affect different microscopic parts of the blood.

One of these blood cancers is called multiple myeloma. Multiple myeloma is a cancer of the plasma cell, which is a type of white blood cell. These cells live in the bone marrow and are key for healthy immune system function. Normally, those white blood cells make antibodies to help fight off infection.

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Written by:

Brittany Doohan

Brittany Doohan was the Content Director at HealthiNation and is currently the Editorial Director at Medscape. Through her work with Medscape, she won a Silver Telly Award in May 2022 for "Sleepless Nation: A Public Health Epidemic — Episode 2: A Decade Without a Diagnosis." She has worked in health journalism and video production for more than 8 years, and loves the challenge of explaining complex topics in an easy-to-understand and creative way.

Reviewed by:

Sanjai Sinha, MD

Sanjai Sinha, MD, is a board-certified physician with over 20 years of experience. He specializes in internal medicine.

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