What is it about?
Multiple myeloma poses diagnostic dilemma to health care providers living in developing countries. This has led to late diagnosis, life-threatening complications, late treatment and poor survival outcomes of people living with the disease (i.e., middle-aged and elderly population) in the region. This article provides the reader with an in-depth knowledge of multiple myeloma and how it presents in developing countries. The challenges in managing the disease and the possible recommendations on how to improve their quality of life are discussed.
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Why is it important?
Multiple myeloma. also known as plasma cell myeloma or cancer of bone marrow, is one of the commonest hematological malignancies of public health importance in developing countries such as those found in sub-Saharan Africa. Due to poor knowledge about this disease among the healthcare providers and its common complication which is orthopedic-related (skeletal related events) it is usually misdiagnosed and left in the hands of orthopedic surgeon. By the time a definitive diagnosis has been made, the disease has caused more end-organ damages. The essence of this study is to bring to lime light the disease, multiple myeloma, and the two major challenges in its management in developing countries which are mainly in the diagnosis and treatment.
Perspectives
This evidence-based review article gives a holistic insight into multiple myeloma, bearing in mind the African perspective of the disease. It is educative, not only to the hematologists but to all other health care providers who have little or no knowledge about the disease. The common complications of multiple myeloma in low-middle-income countries such as Nigeria elaborated in this article and the possible recommendations on how they can be ameliorated are thought-provoking. The two major challenges in diagnosis and treatment of multiple myeloma in low- and middle-income countries were well elucidated and the duo could be major reasons for collaboration with high-income countries where the management and survival outcomes have improved significantly.
Dr Ogbonna Collins Nwabuko
Federal Medical Center, Umuahia.
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Management of Multiple Myeloma in Developing Countries, February 2019, IntechOpen,
DOI: 10.5772/intechopen.76500.
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