It's no secret that I have a lot of kids. And as a result, I am blessed to now have a growing brood of grandchildren as well (four and counting; welcome James!). Having that many people under my aegis is a daunting responsibility (one that I willingly choose to accept). But more than any kind of financial obligation or inclination, I have a genealogical connection to my proliferant progeny of Rosenettes and their descendants. As a guy with cancer, a kind of cancer that stems from genetics rather than environmental / lifestyle factors, the thought has crossed my mind: What if aside from wit and wisdom, am I passing along cancer as well? I would really hate if it emanated from Nate (that alone tells you how much I would hate it because I hate to be called Nate).
As in my case: At first, someone with Multiple Myeloma (MM) may experience no symptoms or only mild ones. But, MM can lead to health issues such as: Anemia, Bone issues (eg: pain and fractures), Frequent infections, or Kidney problems. It is worth noting that there are a wide variety of types and stages of MM. Some simply require watchful monitoring (ie: Smoldering Myeloma; a future blog topic). Other strains of MM require more complicated treatment plans, such as: Stem cell transplants, Bone marrow transplants, Radiation therapy or Surgery.
In relation to the hereditary likelihood of contracting Multiple Myeloma, it is worth being reminded that the overall chance of anyone falling victim to the condition in the first place is very low (approx. 1 in 103 for men / 1 in 131 for women), and relatively proportionally low for any kin among my readers. The majority of people with MM do not have a family history of the disease (I don’t). However, in the name of full transparency, research suggests that people with a first-degree relative (such as a parent or sibling) are about four times as likely to develop MM. “Thanks, Dad !!! So now what ?!?!”
For any relatives of a person who has Multiple Myeloma, make sure to mention it to your doctor when explaining your family history. Although familial MM is very rare, screening should be considered for selected families where the health problem is significant (not the case in my case, whew). It is however suggested to have annual blood and urine screening (called protein electrophoresis) for anyone with either more than one first-degree relative (parent, child, or sibling) with MM, or one first-degree relative and at least one second-degree relative - not us Rosens at all!
I may have passed along the propensity for bad puns, the predilection for a preference for chocolate, or the possibility of red hair - but it’s hopefully unlikely that I’ve passed along Multiple Myeloma in my ancestral “501's.”
