Bruce Springsteen's wife is in remission. What is multiple myeloma?

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Bruce Springsteen says his wife Patti Scialfa is in remission from multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer."As you know, Patty's been living with her multiple myeloma for over eight years but now thankfully she is in remission," the musician shared on July 31.Scialfa, a member of the E Street Band since 1984, was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2018. She revealed the rare blood cancer in the documentary "Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band.""This affects my immune system so I just have to be careful what I choose to do and where I choose to go," Scialfa said. "Every once in a while, I come to a show or two and I can sing a few songs onstage, and that’s been a treat. That’s the new normal for me right now, and I’m OK with that."Here's what to know about the diagnosis.What is multiple myeloma?Multiple myeloma is a rare blood cancer that affects your plasma cells, a type of white blood cell that make antibodies to fight infection."But with multiple myeloma, plasma cells develop errors and build up in your bone marrow," the Cleveland Clinic explains. "The cancerous plasma cells can crowd out your normal bone marrow cells. This can prevent your bone marrow from producing healthy red blood cells."What causes multiple myeloma?It's not clear what causes myeloma, according to the Mayo Clinic, but there are certain factors that increase your risk of developing it, including:Increased age, as most are diagnosed in their late 60sBeing male, as men are more likely to develop the disease than womenBeing Black, as they are more likely to develop it than other racesHaving a family history of itHaving certain other conditionsEnvironmental factors and obesity are also risk factors, the Cleveland Clinic adds."If you get multiple myeloma, you didn't do anything to cause it," the Mayo Clinic notes, adding "there's no way to prevent multiple myeloma."Multiple myeloma symptomsWhile there might not be any symptoms with early multiple myeloma, often the first symptoms people notice is bone pain, according to the Mayo Clinic and Cleveland Clinic.This pain is usually felt in the back, head, chest, pelvis or upper leg, the Cleveland Clinic adds, and other symptoms may include:FatigueGetting sick easilyNumbness or tingling in arms or legsUnexplained weight lossNausea and vomitingThe Mayo Clinic adds that complications can also arise from the disease, including infections, bone and kidney problems and anemia, or a low red blood cell count.How do you treat multiple myeloma?There are multiple treatment options for multiple myeloma, the Cleveland Clinic notes, including several cancer therapies like chemotherapy, immunotherapy and radiation, steroids, medicine for bone pain and to prevent bone loss as well as stem cell transplants.Treatment can help "relieve pain, control complications and slow the growth of the myeloma cells," the Mayo Clinic adds.