Americans were shocked when beloved news anchor and historian Tom Brokaw, 74, revealed he is battling multiple myeloma. It is a cancer that impacts blood cells in the bone marrow.
While his doctors at the Mayo Clinic have said they are “encouraged” by his progress. It brings the name of a relatively unknown cancer into American homes.
What exactly is multiple myeloma and what should average Americans know about the disease?
Anne Quinn Young MPH is the vice president of marketing at the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation. She is happy that Brokaw has decided to bring awareness to the disease in a public way. Young says that the outlook today for patients is much brighter than ten years ago.
“In general, people do not know much about this cancer, so when a celebrity or famous figure comes forward with it, there is a lot of interest,” Young said.
When Geraldine Ferraro went public with her diagnosis in 2001, Young said the MMRF’s website nearly crashed from all the traffic.
“Our first concern of course is Mr. Brokaw’s privacy and health; we want him to be well. Coming forward in this way will do so much to advance awareness of this relatively unknown form of cancer. So, for that we are grateful.”
Defining multiple myeloma
In medical terms, multiple myeloma is a hematologic cancer, meaning it is a cancer of the blood. Brokaw’s version is the second-most common blood cancer behind non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. You have a 1 in 149 chance of contracting the disease. It is more common in men and tends to happen to older people. This year, an estimated 24,050 new multiple myeloma cases will be diagnosed.
What causes multiple myeloma?
Like many cancers, there is no easily definable cause for its incidence. Young says certain industries tend to have a higher risk factor – like agriculture, cosmetology and petroleum – but many people who develop the disease have no association with these fields. The best answer that researchers can develop is that multiple myeloma is the result of several risk factors acting together.
Of those diagnosed with multiple myeloma, 96 percent are over the age of 45, and 63 percent over the age of 65.
“If you were to look at an average room full of patients with this disease, it would be white and African American males in their 60s and 70s,” said Young.
The impact
The blood, bones and kidneys are the body parts that feel the impact of the disease most. The normal functions of the blood and kidneys, as well as bone damage, are common ailments associated with the disease and all can lead to other illness and a weakened immune system to fight it.
How is multiple myeloma treated?
There are many different approaches to multiple myeloma treatment, including chemotherapy, radiation, targeted therapy (which attempts to attack cancer cells and not healthy ones) and stem cell transplantation. Like other cancers, the disease takes continuous treatment throughout life to keep it under control or at bay.
“As more research becomes available and the cancer community rallies around this disease, the prognosis for people like Mr. Brokaw will continue to improve and that is a victory for all cancers,” said Young.
