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1. Bone pain
The most common symptom. Plasma cell infiltration causes osteolytic bone destruction, leading to pain in the lower back, spine, chest, or ribs. Pain is often worsened by movement and may be complicated by pathological fractures.
2. Anemia and related symptoms
Malignant plasma cells suppress normal hematopoiesis, resulting in fatigue, pallor, shortness of breath, and reduced exercise tolerance, which may progressively impair daily functioning.
3. Renal impairment
Monoclonal free light chains can deposit in and damage renal tubules, causing proteinuria, edema, rising creatinine, and—if uncontrolled—progression to renal failure.
4. Recurrent infections
Reduced normal immunoglobulin production and impaired white blood cell function increase susceptibility to infections, especially respiratory and urinary tract infections. Severe infections are a major cause of morbidity and mortality.
5. Hypercalcemia
Bone breakdown releases calcium into the bloodstream, leading to nausea, constipation, excessive thirst and urination, and neuropsychiatric symptoms. Severe cases may trigger cardiac arrhythmias.
6. Neurologic symptoms
Vertebral fractures or tumor-related compression can cause numbness, tingling, weakness, and pain radiating along nerves. Significant spinal cord compression can result in paralysis and requires urgent evaluation.
7. Bleeding tendency
Thrombocytopenia and coagulation interference by M-protein may cause epistaxis, easy bruising, or petechiae. Severe cases can involve internal bleeding.
8. Systemic symptoms
Cytokine-driven constitutional symptoms such as weight loss, night sweats, and fever may indicate disease progression and a worse prognosis.
Jinshazhou Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine emphasizes that multiple myeloma is a malignant hematologic tumor that can cause profound skeletal destruction, renal failure, and recurrent infections, posing a serious threat to life. Complications are diverse and management is complex, typically requiring comprehensive therapy. Early symptom recognition and timely, standardized diagnosis and treatment are essential to improving prognosis. Patients are encouraged to adhere to longitudinal, whole-course management to optimize quality of life and survival.
1. Bone pain
The most common symptom. Plasma cell infiltration causes osteolytic bone destruction, leading to pain in the lower back, spine, chest, or ribs. Pain is often worsened by movement and may be complicated by pathological fractures.
2. Anemia and related symptoms
Malignant plasma cells suppress normal hematopoiesis, resulting in fatigue, pallor, shortness of breath, and reduced exercise tolerance, which may progressively impair daily functioning.
3. Renal impairment
Monoclonal free light chains can deposit in and damage renal tubules, causing proteinuria, edema, rising creatinine, and—if uncontrolled—progression to renal failure.
4. Recurrent infections
Reduced normal immunoglobulin production and impaired white blood cell function increase susceptibility to infections, especially respiratory and urinary tract infections. Severe infections are a major cause of morbidity and mortality.
5. Hypercalcemia
Bone breakdown releases calcium into the bloodstream, leading to nausea, constipation, excessive thirst and urination, and neuropsychiatric symptoms. Severe cases may trigger cardiac arrhythmias.
6. Neurologic symptoms
Vertebral fractures or tumor-related compression can cause numbness, tingling, weakness, and pain radiating along nerves. Significant spinal cord compression can result in paralysis and requires urgent evaluation.
7. Bleeding tendency
Thrombocytopenia and coagulation interference by M-protein may cause epistaxis, easy bruising, or petechiae. Severe cases can involve internal bleeding.
8. Systemic symptoms
Cytokine-driven constitutional symptoms such as weight loss, night sweats, and fever may indicate disease progression and a worse prognosis.
Jinshazhou Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine emphasizes that multiple myeloma is a malignant hematologic tumor that can cause profound skeletal destruction, renal failure, and recurrent infections, posing a serious threat to life. Complications are diverse and management is complex, typically requiring comprehensive therapy. Early symptom recognition and timely, standardized diagnosis and treatment are essential to improving prognosis. Patients are encouraged to adhere to longitudinal, whole-course management to optimize quality of life and survival.