Extract
Multiple myeloma is the most common primary malignant tumor of bone, with
approximately 15,000 new cases in the United States each
year1. Lytic bone
lesions are produced throughout the skeleton as the result of a monoclonal
proliferation of plasma cells that invade the medullary space and activate
osteoclasts. Bone pain is the most common symptom of myeloma and may herald an
impending or pathologic fracture. Other clinical manifestations, such as
hypercalcemia, renal failure, immune deficiency, and anemia, occur secondary
to the production and accumulation of monoclonal proteins, including
immunoglobulins and light-chain components.