Multiple myeloma may be asymptomatic for some people, but the most common symptoms include bone pain (most often in the back, hips or skull), bone weakness, broken bones (fractures), low blood counts (shortage of white/red blood cells or blood platelets), high levels of calcium in the blood, nervous system symptoms (weakening of bones in spine may cause sudden, severe back pain, numbness or muscle weakness, primarily in the legs), kidney problems (may cause weakness, shortness of breath, itchiness, or leg swelling), and/or persistent infections (e.g. pneumonia).1
Risk factors associated with multiple myeloma include age (where most people diagnosed are over 65 years old), race (higher incidence in Black people), family history, being overweight or obese and having other plasma cell diseases.2
Connecting with other people that have multiple myeloma through an online support group led by a social worker, live support group and/or one-to-one matching with a peer can help you learn about your condition and provide you with support.
To learn more about multiple myeloma, you can access
information from credible sources below.
Looking for additional resources? We’ve curated multiple myeloma resources to help you access important information and support by the area you’re interested in, whether it’s prevention, symptoms and tests, new diagnosis, treatment, clinical trials or long-term management. You can also be matched to programs that can help with issues you may be facing, such as the costs of care, feeling alone or another obstacle. Resources can also be filtered by the medium you prefer, including books, websites, hotlines, podcasts, online communities, mobile apps, and more!
We've created a few resources to help you grasp the basics, as well as a deeper dive to help you understand your options based on the most recent guidelines.
To view multiple myeloma booklets and/or
download for use in your cancer planner, please select from
the options below. To access the electronic version of the
planner, please click on the E-Planner icon.
Multiple myeloma may be asymptomatic for some people, but the most common symptoms include bone pain (most often in the back, hips or skull), bone weakness, broken bones (fractures), low blood counts (shortage of white/red blood cells or blood platelets), high levels of calcium in the blood, nervous system symptoms (weakening of bones in spine may cause sudden, severe back pain, numbness or muscle weakness, primarily in the legs), kidney problems (may cause weakness, shortness of breath, itchiness, or leg swelling), and/or persistent infections (e.g. pneumonia).1
Risk factors associated with multiple myeloma include age (where most people diagnosed are over 65 years old), race (higher incidence in Black people), family history, being overweight or obese and having other plasma cell diseases.2
Connecting with other people that have multiple myeloma through an online support group led by a social worker, live support group and/or one-to-one matching with a peer can help you learn about your condition and provide you with support.
To learn more about multiple myeloma, you can access information from credible sources below.
Looking for additional resources? We’ve curated multiple myeloma resources to help you access important information and support by the area you’re interested in, whether it’s prevention, symptoms and tests, new diagnosis, treatment, clinical trials or long-term management. You can also be matched to programs that can help with issues you may be facing, such as the costs of care, feeling alone or another obstacle. Resources can also be filtered by the medium you prefer, including books, websites, hotlines, podcasts, online communities, mobile apps, and more!
We've created a few resources to help you grasp the basics, as well as a deeper dive to help you understand your options based on the most recent guidelines.
Patient Cliffs NotesThe Basics
Patient PathwayNavigating Options
To view multiple myeloma booklets and/or download for use in your cancer planner, please select from the options below. To access the electronic version of the planner, please click on the E-Planner icon.
NCCN Guidelines for Patients (Spanish)
