Multiple myeloma is a type of incurable blood cancer that affects the bone marrow. Recent studies have shown that people with poor diets have an increased risk of developing this cancer. American researchers therefore examined the effects of a healthier diet, composed of foods of plant origin, rich in fiber. They found that this type of diet could slow the progression of the disease.
Multiple myeloma is the second most common blood cancer (behind Hodgkin's or non-Hodgkin's lymphoma). In France, around 5,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. It originates in plasma cells – B lymphocytes that produce antibodies. These immune cells, found primarily in the bone marrow, can sometimes undergo changes that affect their growth or function. The “abnormal” plasma cells then begin to proliferate in a disordered manner, which can lead to multiple myeloma.
This cancer usually results from a precursor condition called “monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance” (MGUS). This is a precancerous condition. The cancer has not yet broken out, but the risk of progression to cancer is high. MGUS does not cause visible symptoms; cancer can nevertheless appear within a few months or years. The risk of MGUS progressing to multiple myeloma is estimated to increase by approximately 1% each year. Multiple myeloma can also result from so-called “latent” multiple myeloma, which is also asymptomatic.
Diet, a modifiable risk factor
Myeloma multiple affects mainly people aged 70 and over, the majority men. The…Read more on Science and life
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