Recently Diagnosed or Relapsed? Stop Looking For a Miracle Cure, and Use Evidence-Based Therapies To Enhance Your Treatment and Prolong Your Remission
Multiple Myeloma an incurable disease, but I have spent the last 25 years in remission using a blend of conventional oncology and evidence-based nutrition, supplementation, and lifestyle therapies from peer-reviewed studies that your oncologist probably hasn't told you about.
Click the orange button to the right to learn more about what you can start doing today.
- You are here:
- Home »
- Blog »
- Multiple Myeloma »
- Myeloma: Preventing Myeloma-related Death
Myeloma: Preventing Myeloma-related Death
“We postulate that strategies aimed at prevention have the potential to be more effective in preventing myeloma-related death than additional pharmaceutical strategies aimed at treating advanced disease.”
While reading an old blog post I had written about cancer prevention, I realized that I was writing about preventing myeloma-related death but in a general way. I realized that a blog post about reducing your risk of cancer is boring…and let’s face it, pretty useless to MM ers.
But that if I could redirect a blog post about cancer prevention and take what I’ve learned about preventing myeloma-related death…well, that blog post will be valuable to multiple myeloma patients, survivors and caregivers!
Please don’t misunderstand me. The article below about general cancer prevention is important and applicable for MM patients. My point is that the article specifically talking about preventing myeloma-related death can be especially useful to MM ers.
Surviving multiple myeloma since my diagnosis in early 1994 has taught me that conventional MM therapies are only a tiny piece of the MM picture. Nutrition, supplementation, lifestyle, etc. are the answer to preventing myeloma-related death.
To learn more about both conventional and non-conventional MM therapies, scroll down the page, post a question or comment and I will reply to you ASAP.
Thanks,
David Emerson
- MM Survivor
- MM Coach
- Director PeopleBeatingCancer
Recommended Reading:
- Multiple Myeloma Therapy – Eight Slices of the Magic Bullet
- Cancer Prehabilitation- Multiple Myeloma Therapy Better, Faster
- Surviving Multiple Myeloma- Fighting/War Metaphors Get It Wrong-
Prevention Is the Best Treatment: The Case for Understanding the Transition from Monoclonal Gammopathy of Undetermined Significance to Myeloma
“We postulate that strategies aimed at prevention have the potential to be more effective in preventing myeloma-related death than additional pharmaceutical strategies aimed at treating advanced disease. Here, we present a rationale for the development of prevention therapy and highlight potential target areas of study…
Obesity and Inflammation-
One of the largest prospective studies to evaluate obesity and cancer risk clearly demonstrates an increased risk of myeloma death (relative risk = 1.44) in men and women in with a body mass index of 30–34.9 kg/m2 [54]. Obesity is additionally linked with an increased risk of MGUS. In a cross-sectional study of women aged 40–79 years, obese women were significantly more likely to have MGUS (relative risk = 1.8) [56]. Studies evaluating the impact of obesity duration suggest that early life obesity may further increase overall MM risk compared to later life obesity alone [57,58,59]…
Immune Dysregulation
Patients with myeloma are at high risk for infections due to lowered levels of protective antibody titers, but cellular immunity may also be disrupted in MM. Immunosuppressive regulator T cells (Tregs) are elevated mouse models of MM and in smoldering myeloma compared with controls [72]. Murine and patient myeloma cells secrete interferon gamma, which stimulates the proliferation of Tregs contributing to expansion of disease in mice, and possibly immune suppression in patients. The role of Tregs in early stage disease remains unclear, but these results support additional studies on the role of the immune system in the progression of MGUS to MM…
Vitamin Deficiency
Plasma levels of Vitamin D are reduced in patients with MM [93,94,95], although this is not routinely monitored by most physicians [94]. Vitamin D deficiency does not appear to be associated with worsened survival or high-risk cytogenetic profiles [96]. While there are calls to evaluate Vitamin D status in MM patients [97], it is not clear whether it is a driver of disease or a biomarker. In MGUS patients, Vitamin D supplementation improves markers of bone health and metabolism [98]. Given the low risk profile of Vitamin D supplemental, and the general recommendation, the Vitamin D deficient patients take a supplement, this is potential treatment option [98]…
Sleep Disturbance and Intermittent Hypoxia
Despite extensive research in solid tumor cancers, little is known about the role that sleep disturbance plays in the progression of hematological malignancies, including multiple myeloma. Furthermore, several factors related to sleep quality may impact cancer development, including via sleep duration, sleep fragmentation, circadian disruptions, and breathing disturbances that result in intermittent hypoxia…
Reducing Your Risk of Cancer-
If you want to do everything you can to ensure you are never diagnosed with the disease, find out how to lower your risk.
Enjoy a Low-Calorie Diet
Being obese or overweight can increase your chances of developing a serious medical condition, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease and hypertension. It has also been associated with a greater risk of cancer.
If you are overweight, you can aim to lose weight through a low-calorie diet, and prevent a cancer diagnosis. For example, you could embark on intermittent fasting or a ketogenic diet.
Quit Tobacco as Soon as Possible
Cigarettes, cigars and pipe tobacco can all produce tobacco smoke, which features thousands of chemicals – and at least 70 of them, known as carcinogens, have been found to cause cancer.
Just some of the chemicals you will find in tobacco include:
- Nicotine
- Arsenic
- Formaldehyde
- Hydrogen cyanide
- Carbon monoxide
- Lead
- Ammonia
In addition to causing cancer, they can also cause lung disease and heart disease. It is, therefore, important to stop smoking immediately to reduce your risk of developing a form of cancer.
Even if you do not use tobacco, you must avoid second-hand smoke to protect your health.
Become More Physically Active
It is widely believed that maintaining a healthy weight could prevent various forms of cancer, such as breast, lung, prostate, kidney and colon cancer.
While a healthy diet is essential, it is believed physical activity can also lower the chances of colon and breast cancer, as well as diabetes, stroke, and ischemic heart disease.
To enjoy substantial health benefits, aim to experience a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise each week.
Successfully Protect Your Skin from the Sun
One of the most common varieties of cancer in the world is skin cancer, which is commonly caused by cumulative sun exposure. To shield your skin, you must:
- Stay out of the midday sun (sunrays are strongest from 10am to 4pm)
- Sit in the shade when outdoors
- Wear a broad-brimmed hat and sunglasses
- Cover exposed areas of the skin (opt for bright or dark colors to reflect ultraviolet radiation)
- Apply a minimum SPF of 30 – even on a cloudy day (reapply every two hours)
- Avoid sunlamps and tanning beds
Regular Self-Exams and Screenings
It is vital both men and women perform regular self-exams to potentially detect cancer, such as on your breasts, testicles, and skin.
There are, however, certain areas of your body you will be unable to check on your own, which is why you must routinely book both cervix and colon cancer screenings, which can improve your chances of catching cancer in its early stages.
If in doubt, discuss the different cancer screening options for your needs and age range with your doctor.