Cancer is slowly becoming the new epidemic that is gripping the world. Multiple myeloma is a type of blood cancer where plasma cells present in the blood grow in an uncontrolled manner. Plasma cells are a constituent of blood along with other cells. There are various types of multiple myeloma.

1. Main subtypes
Multiple myeloma has two main subtypes:

Hyperdiploid – In this, myeloma cells have more chromosomes. The patient has a better prognosis as compared to non-hyperdiploid type.

Non-Hyperdiploid – In this type, the cells have fewer chromosomes than normal. They are more severe and less likely to respond to medication.

2. Types of myeloma
From the two subtypes, the different types of multiple myeloma are:

• Light chain myeloma

In this type, the immunoglobulin produced is incomplete and is known as light chain antibody. This is termed as light chain myeloma. Patients do not have complete monoclonal immunoglobulin. It constitutes about 15% of multiple myeloma cases.

• Non secretory myeloma

In this type, the patients are unable to produce enough M proteins. A bone marrow biopsy is needed to confirm it. They represent 1-2% of the total multiple myeloma.

• Extramedullary Plasmacytoma

These tumors start outside the bone marrow in soft tissues such as throat, sinuses, and nose. It is rare and present in 3% of all plasma cell neoplasm. The typical signs of multiple myeloma are missing.

• Solitary plasmacytoma of the bone

Here, a single tumor is formed due to abnormal division of cells. It constitutes less than 5% of cancerous plasma cell tumors. The standard treatment is radiotherapy.

• Immunoglobulin D (IgD) myeloma

It is a rare type of myeloma. Signs and symptoms are the same at other types of myeloma. It constitutes 2% of the total myeloma cases. Patient survival is lower in this type.

• Immunoglobulin E (IgE) Myeloma

It is the rarest type of multiple myeloma. It is aggressive and progresses to result in leukemia. The survival rate of patients is lower as compared to other forms.

3. Multiple myeloma natural treatments
There is constant research ongoing for cancer treatment. Natural treatments are also being considered. At times, diet and herbs have been used to get relief from the symptoms if it is not possible to treat the cancer. The success rate for these treatments is yet to be evaluated, but it has been suggested that people undergoing natural treatments for multiple myeloma along with conventional treatments have higher chances of survival.

Here are a few things to keep in mind concerning natural treatments for multiple myeloma:

• Diet

Though there is no evidence that special diets can help treat multiple myeloma, they play an important role in energy levels, overall health, and strength. They can be used to reduce common problems associated with multiple myeloma such as anemia. Foods that help in managing multiple myeloma symptoms are clams, chickpeas, beans, lentils, broccoli, spinach, and dairy products.

• Anti-cancer foods

Research has shown promising beneficial effects of certain fruits and vegetables that can help in alleviating multiple myeloma symptoms. These are foods with ursolic acid, such as basil, rosemary, cranberries, Brussels sprouts, and blueberries.