The white blood cells normally protect the body against infections and even cancer. They include cells called the natural killer cells, macrophages, monocytes, basophils, eosinophils, neutrophils, the T lymphocytes and the B lymphocytes. When the B lymphocytes mature, they become the plasma cells that produce the antibodies. Multiple myeloma is a disease that involves the plasma cells. Several medications are available.
What Is Multiple Myeloma?
Multiple myeloma is a cancer of the plasma cells. The white blood cells are responsible for making antibodies that fight against foreign substances. The abnormal plasma cells multiply in the bone marrow, expand and destroy the bones. Scientists don'tt know what causes this disease. Nevertheless, approximately 19,900 people were diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2007, while 10,790 people died from it that year, states Nikhil Munshi, M.D., Associate Director of the Jerome Lipper Multiple Myeloma Center.
Symptoms of Multiple Myeloma
People with multiple myeloma may be anemic, because the abnormally high amount of plasma cells in the bone marrow doesn't let the red blood cells develop. Damage to the bones can cause bone pain, fractures and may even cause the vertebrae in the spine to collapse. If that happens, a person with multiple myeloma can become a paraplegic, explains James Berenson, M.D., Medical and Scientific Director of the Institute for Myeloma and Bone Cancer Research. Abnormal antibodies are a poor defense against bacterial infections, which can lead to kidney failure.
Ursolic Acid and Thalidomide
A protein called STAT3 instructs the cell how it should grow and when it should divide. Ashutosh Pathak suggests in the September 2007 issue of "Molecular Cancer Research" that interfering with the STAT3 protein's link to several cancers including multiple myeloma may help prevent or treat the disease. Ursolic acid interferes with the STAT3 protein. Thalidomide is a medication that was originally developed to treat the morning sickness of pregnancy. It stopped being prescribed due to its side effects on the fetus, but is now used in multiple myeloma to destroy tumor cells.
Resveratrol and Propolis
While ursolic acid is found in cranberries, apples, basil and prunes, resveratrol is a substance in grapes. It's made by the grapes to protect the plant from infection, but scientists have found that it stops tumor cells from growing in the lab. In the February 2006 issue of "Cancer Genetics and Cytogenetics," C. Sun writes about a research study showing that resveratrol stopped multiple myeloma cells from duplicating and caused the cells to die. Propolis is a substance used by honeybees to make their hives. It also fights cancer cells and is sold under the brand name Velcade as a treatment for multiple myeloma.
References
- "Cancer Genetics and Cytogenetics"; Resveratrol Downregulates the Constitutional Activation of Nuclear Factor-kappaB in Multiple Myeloma Cells; C. Sun, Y. Hu, X., Liu et al.; February 2006
- "Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine"; Anthony Fauci, M.D., Dennis Kasper, M.D., Dan Longo, M.D., et al.; 2008
- Molecular Cancer Research: Ursolic Acid Inhibits STAT3 Activation Pathway Leading to Suppression of Proliferation and Chemosensitization of Human Multiple Myeloma Cells
- The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals: Multiple Myeloma
