Multiple Myeloma Picture

A form of cancer that affects plasma cells which are special white blood cells that produce antibodies, the agents our bodies use to help fight infection. The disease can cause tumors to grow in bones leading to bone pain and fractures. Multiple myeloma is a type of cancer. Cancer starts when the structure of the DNA in a cell is altered - a genetic mutation. The DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) consists of a set of instructions for a cell, telling it when to grow, divide, die, etc. When there is a mutation in the DNA the instructions change, sometimes accelerating cell growth and stopping cells from dying. If new cells are created but the mature ones don't die, for example, an excess of mutated cells starts to build up.