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In the early stages of myeloma, some people have no signs or symptoms of the disease. It is sometimes detected before symptoms appear, when results of laboratory tests done as part of a routine medical examination show changes in the blood and/or urine. When symptoms are present, the most common ones are:
- Fatigue
- Frequent infections, fever and/or chills
- Bone pain or fractures with no known cause
‘CRAB’: Signs of myeloma
Most of the symptoms of myeloma are caused by the buildup of myeloma cells in the bone marrow and the presence of M protein in the body. Doctors use the acronym CRAB to describe signs of myeloma. The letters stand for:
- C: Calcium elevation (high levels of calcium in the blood, also known as “hypercalcemia”)
- R: Renal (kidney) failure
- A: Anemia (low red blood cell count)
- B: Bone lesions (damage)
Treatment is usually recommended for patients who have one or more of the four signs listed above.
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