Hello and welcome to the zero to finals podcast.

My name is Tom and in this episode I'm going to be talking to you about myeloma.

And you can find written notes on this topic, as always at zero to finals.com slash myeloma

or in the hematology section of the second edition of the zero to finals medicine book. So let's get

straight into it. Myeloma is a type of cancer affecting the plasma cells in the bone marrow.

Plasma cells are B lymphocytes or B cells that produce antibodies.

Cancer in a specific type of plasma cell results in production of large quantities of a specific paraprotein

or M-protein, which is an abnormal antibody or part of an antibody.

Multiple myeloma is where the myeloma affects multiple bone marrow areas in the body.

Monoclonal gamopathy of undetermined significance or M-GUS involves the production of a specific

power protein without other features of

myeloma or cancer.

Monoclonal refers to identical copies or clones originating from a single cell.

M-Gus is often an incidental finding in an otherwise healthy person.

It has a small risk of progression to myeloma of about 1% per year.

Smoldering myeloma involves abnormal plasma cells and paraproteins,

but no organ damage or symptoms.

It has a greater risk of progression to myeloma compared with M-GUS

of around 10% per year. So let's talk in more detail about the pathophysiology. Plasma cells

are B-lymphosites or B-cells of the immune system that have developed to produce a specific antibody.

Antibodies are also called immunoglobulins.

Antibodies are complex molecules made up of heavy chains and light chains arranged in a Y shape.

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