What are the different types of multiple myeloma?

Reviewed by Yoshinori Abe, MD

Internal Medicine

Multiple myeloma is classified into different types based on two key factors: the appearance of bone marrow cells under a microscope and the stage of disease progression. Microscopic analysis helps identify the specific plasma cell characteristics, while staging determines how advanced the cancer is and how widely it has spread. Together, these classifications guide treatment decisions and help predict outcomes.

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Reviewed for medical accuracy: 07/14/2026

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Explanation

Multiple myeloma is a type of cancer that affects plasma cells in the bone marrow. According to the provided references, it can be classified in several ways based on histological and clinical features.

Histologic Classification: This classification is based on how the bone marrow tissue looks under a microscope. The appearance of the cells and the amount of plasma cells present can help determine the type of myeloma.

Staging: Staging refers to how advanced the disease is. It considers factors such as the number of cancerous cells and the extent to which they have spread in the body.

Understanding these classifications helps doctors determine the best treatment options and predict how the disease might progress. If you're experiencing unusual symptoms and want to learn more about what they could mean, try Ubie's free AI-powered symptom checker to get personalized health insights. The studies highlight the importance of examining bone marrow samples to accurately classify and stage multiple myeloma.

(References)

Bartl R, Frisch B, Fateh-Moghadam A, Kettner G, Jaeger K, & Sommerfeld W. (1987). Histologic classification and staging of multiple myeloma. A .... American journal of clinical pathology, 3825999.
Fujino M. (2018). The histopathology of myeloma in the bone marrow. Journal of clinical and experimental hematopathology : JCEH, 29998977.
Bartl R, Frisch B, Burkhardt R, Fateh-Moghadam A, Mahl G, Gierster P, et al. (1982). Bone marrow histology in myeloma: its importance in .... British journal of haematology, 7104223.

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