Treatment Options for Multiple Myeloma
Multiple myeloma is a cancer that forms in a type of white blood cell, which are known as plasma cells. With multiple myeloma, there are cancer cells growing in the bone marrow. These cells will mob the healthy blood cells. These cancer cells do not produce helpful antibodies, so the body can suffer complications. Many people wonder what the treatment options are for people that have multiple myeloma and we will go over the different available treatments:
1. Targeted therapy radiation for multiple myeloma
Targeted therapy for multiple myeloma is a treatment that takes the molecules that help cancer to grow and kills them. The point of this treatment is to eliminate the cancer cells and leave healthy cells alone. Doctors can use several methods that can hinder the enzymes or proteins in cancer. This method makes the body seek and destroy the cancer cells that are working on the surface. They can also scan the DNA of your cancer cells using drugs that target the cells that have molecular or genetic mutations, which is called precision medicine.
2. Radiation therapy
Multiple myeloma can also be treated with this radiation therapy. This treatment uses high-energy rays to destroy cancer cells. Radiation can also be used to help heal areas of the bone that have been destroyed by multiple myeloma. The most common treatment chosen to treat medical myeloma is external beam radiation therapy in which radiation is directed at the cancer from a machine outside of the body. This treatment is similar to having an x-ray. The only difference is that this treatment lasts longer and will go on for many weeks.
3. Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy can also be used to treat multiple myeloma. These drugs are used to kill the cancer cells. Often the drugs are administered through a vein in the arm or taken as a pill. If a bone marrow transplant is being administered, high doses of drugs are used before the transplant.
4. Regularly check in with your doctor
Having multiple myeloma can be a very stressful situation. It’s often a good idea to consult with your doctor and learn about your options. It’s also a good idea to get support from your friends and family because they can help you to cope with the situation. You should also take some time for yourself, and relax, get enough sleep, exercise, and take care of your body by eating a diet full of fruits and vegetables. These are things that will make going through your multiple myeloma treatment a little bit easier.