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Can Multiple Myeloma Be Found Early?
It can be hard to diagnose multiple myeloma early, and there are no recommended screening tests to look for it in most people.
Why is it hard to diagnose multiple myeloma early?
Often, multiple myeloma causes no symptoms until it reaches an advanced stage. Sometimes, it causes vague symptoms that might at first seem to be caused by other diseases.
Multiple myeloma is sometimes found early when a routine blood test shows a high amount of protein in the blood, but there are no recommended screening tests to look for multiple myeloma in most people. (Screening is the use of tests or exams to find a disease in people who don’t have symptoms.)
Watching for multiple myeloma in people at higher risk
MGUS (monoclonal gammopathy of unknown significance) and solitary plasmacytoma are conditions that might develop into multiple myeloma. Because people with these conditions are at higher risk of multiple myeloma, doctors usually do regular bloodwork to watch for early signs. This might lead to multiple myeloma being diagnosed earlier in people with MGUS or a solitary plasmacytoma.
For more on how multiple myeloma is diagnosed, see Tests for Multiple Myeloma.
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- References
Developed by the American Cancer Society medical and editorial content team with medical review and contribution by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO).
Kristinsson SY. Clinical course and management of monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance. UpToDate. 2024. Accessed at https://www.uptodate.com/contents/clinical-course-and-management-of-monoclonal-gammopathy-of-undetermined-significance on January 9, 2025.
Laubach JP. Multiple myeloma: Clinical features, laboratory manifestations, and diagnosis. UpToDate. 2024. Accessed at https://www.uptodate.com/contents/multiple-myeloma-clinical-features-laboratory-manifestations-and-diagnosis on January 7, 2025.
Rajkumar SV, Dispenzieri A. Chapter 101: Multiple myeloma and related disorders. In: Niederhuber JE, Armitage JO, Doroshow JH, Kastan MB, Tepper JE. Abeloff’s Clinical Oncology. 6th edition. Philadelphia, PA. Elsevier: 2020.
Last Revised: February 28, 2025
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