On the mailing list we had a discussion about bone disease in MM. Here’s what Nancy said about it. I hadn’t realized before that IgA patients are less prone to bone disease. One of my doctors did tell me we’re more likely to have kidney involvement though.
Some people never have bone disease…that’s just the way their myeloma is; just as some people never have kidney problems. The names given to the variations of myeloma are not different. Patients with IgA myeloma are less likely to have bone disease than those with IgG myeloma…and those with IgG myeloma are less like than those with IgA myeloma (or Bence Jones myeloma) to have kidney problems.
Perhaps by “classic myeloma” they are referring to myeloma that is in the bone marrow…as opposed to extramedullary myeloma which is outside the bone marrow….rather than affecting the bones. However, about 80% of patients do have bone involvement, so it is the most common symptom of myeloma.
For more information about multiple myeloma, visit the IMF web site:
http://myeloma.org