Anaemia
Anaemia is defined as a deficiency of red blood cells or their haemoglobin content. The primary consequence is that less oxygen is transported around the body. Symptoms of anaemia include general malaise, fatigue, weakness, shortness of breath and dizziness.
Anaemia is a common complication in myeloma, occurring in around 60% of newly diagnosed patients. It may result from one or more of the following:
- Inhibition of haematopoietic stems cells and/or red blood cell precursors in the bone marrow by cytokines produced by myeloma cells, preventing red blood cell production
- Reduced erythropoietin (EPO) synthesis by the kidney (e.g. because of renal damage), a hormone that stimulates red cell production in the bone marrow
- As a result of treatment causing suppression of red blood cell production.
It is important to also exclude other non-myeloma related causes of anaemia such as haematinic deficiency.