Staging and Survival Rates for Multiple Myeloma
Multiple myeloma is a certain type of blood cancer that develops in the plasma cells in our body. These plasma cells grow abnormally in the bone marrow and stop the functioning of the healthy blood cells when a person has multiple myeloma.
This kind of cancer affects more than just one part of the body and the patient may be asymptomatic in the early stages.
The staging and survival rate for multiple myeloma will differ from patient to patient depending on the health and the spread of cancer in the patient. The treatment, too, will depend on the patient and the advancement of cancer.
The first thing doctors do before considering any treatment is stage the multiple myeloma spread in a patient’s body. There are two systems to do so. This first is International Staging System and the second is Durie Salmon System.
Multiple myeloma is divided into four stages namely, smoldering stage, stage 1, stage 2, and stage 3.
Smoldering stage
The smoldering stage is the phase where the cancer does not show any active symptoms and is also known as the Durie Salmon Stage 1. Myeloma cells are usually not detected in the blood at this stage and they do not advance or harm the patient’s body.
Stage 1
During this stage, a small number of myeloma cells are detected in the blood and urine. Patients may also have a slightly lower than normal hemoglobin levels. X-rays of bones may show a small or no affected areas.
Stage 2
Multiple myeloma is indicated when there are a moderate number of myeloma cells present in the blood. The hemoglobin levels, too, are much lower than normal. Other lab indications include high calcium levels in the blood and an increased monoclonal immunoglobin. Several areas of bone damage are also noticed in the X-rays.
Stage 3
This stage of multiple myeloma is characterized by a high number of cancer cells in the blood. The hemoglobin levels drastically drop to less than 8.5 grams per deciliter and the levels of calcium in the blood are also extremely high. Several areas of bone damage can also be detected.
The survival rate for each of these stages has been calculated using the international staging system. These are derived by comparing the myeloma patient’s survival ratio to the survival ratio of people who do not have cancer. The average survival rate by stage is as follows:
- Stage 1: 62 months
- Stage 2: 44 months
- Stage 3: 29 months
These survival rates are calculated not merely from the time a person is diagnosed with multiple myeloma but from the time the treatment has been started. With the advancement in technology and in the field of medicines, there is a hope for a better survival rate in the future.
The above-mentioned survival rates are just an estimate. Visiting a doctor is the best way to understand your survival rate as it may differ based on your condition and the effectiveness of the treatments.
