Amyloidosis, Oncology and Multiple Myeloma

Why was Cathy scheduled to see an Oncologist?
Amyloidosis is not a cancer. Cancer cells are destructive to the parts of the body that they grow in. Amyloidosis is caused by proteins that are made by otherwise law abiding cells. For some reason these cells get the message to make too much of one kind of protein, or make proteins that are not made correctly. These proteins bind with other normal proteins and form deposits in organs and other parts of the body.
The exception is Multiple Myeloma where cancer cells in the bone marrow are creating the troubling proteins. Primary Amyloidosis is also caused by cells in the bone marrow. Multiple Myeloma and Primary Amyloidosis are treated with chemotherapy drugs that are also used to treat cancer. 85% of Amyloidosis patients are of the primary type, that is why Oncologist most often deal with Amyloidosis patients. Two common treatments for Primary Amyloidosis are Stem Cell Transplantation and Chemotherapy which oncologists are familiar with.

Lon