Anyone here familiar with Smoldering Multiple Myeloma?

I have had smouldering MM for four years. My numbers so far have gone down and I mam low enugh to almost not qualify. It is a todss up if it progresses. Some peole go right into MM and others go on for yearsjust smouldring. EVery now and then I also have Body scans to looke for lesions.

Technically it is a cancer of the plasma cells in the bone marrow that crowd out the red bloods cells. It can cause bone lesions, kidney and skin problems, and severe anemia among other things. Some people are diagnosed only after they exhibit symptoms, others are diagnosed when they have no symptoms through a blood test that shows that they have an abnormal protein called an m-spike, as in my father's case. His took 12 years to become an active cancer that now needs treatment.

Need to be checked OFTEN.

Debi1306: Smoldering myeloma is a very slow growing type of myeloma.
Patients usually have no symptoms so have to be checked for fully developed myeloma.

thanks for the info

Multiple Myeloma is basically cancer of the Bone Marrow - that is how I understand it.

okay, so what is this, no one has said directly on here what this is, what does it affect?

My best friend's husband was diagnosed at the age of 58. As his numbers were very low, he qualified for a trial program through Mayo's to see if early treatment could push the active stage back further. He joined a support group and many of his friends' have had the disease for years. As suggested, a hematologist should be consulted. He is now 62 and the disease has not progressed yet.

I don't know that I have any words of wisdom, but I can share my dad's situation with multiple myeloma, smoldering and otherwise. My dad who is now 90 years old was first diagnosed with smoldering MM at the age of 78. At that time I went to a local support group and they said that my dad's numbers were so low that he would probably die of something else before his MM became active. He has been under the care of a hematologist ever since he was diagnosed with checkups every 6 months and treatment with Zometa and Procrit when needed. Well, after a bunch of other health issues this spring his PCP had us go to the hematologist out of turn because his hemoglobin was in the high 7's. He has now been diagnosed with active disease and has started treatment with dexamethasone and Revlimid. My suggestions would be to connect with the community at the Myeloma Beacon, similar to aging care here but for patients with all stages of MM. The research is continually changing and there are some who believe that there should be treatment for certain kinds of smoldering MM and I would suggest you keep up with the latest on that via the Beacon. I would also have your mom followed by a hematologist that specializes in multiple myeloma. Looking back on the last 12 years, I can say that I did not worry about my father's initial diagnosis, but It was always out there that he could progress to active disease. Right now I am really sorry that it did, but I am prepared to help him while he undergoes treatment.

Asymptomatic means "smoldering" stage, which is without symptoms. That is all it means. Medical terminology?? There is no need for it....I can only say this because I am a Medical Professional....ASK YOUR PHYSICIAN TO SPEAK IN WORDS YOU UNDERSTAND. Remember, you are paying for this service. The physician WORKS for you. You do not work for the physician. ASK for clarification of the information you do not understand.