Why Multiple Myeloma Is Hard to Diagnose | Signs and Symptoms Explained in a Minute (https://www.myeloma.org/videos/why-multiple-myeloma-hard-diagnose-signs-symptoms-explained-minute)
Why Multiple Myeloma Is Hard to Diagnose | Signs and Symptoms Explained in a Minute
Learn why diagnosing multiple myeloma is often delayed.
IMF Chief Medical Officer Dr. Joseph Mikhael explains the vague symptoms, overlapping conditions, and testing challenges that make early diagnosis difficult—especially for African American and Latino communities.
Why is multiple myeloma difficult to diagnose? Hi everyone, Doctor Joseph Mikhael, Chief Medical Officer of the International Myeloma Foundation, and I'm going to explain in a minute or less the complexity of the diagnosis of multiple myeloma.
It often takes time to make the diagnosis of myeloma. The average myeloma patient sees their primary care provider three times with signs and symptoms consistent with myeloma before the diagnosis is made.
Why is this? Well, it has to do with the fact that the symptoms and signs of myeloma tend to be very general, like feeling fatigued, having pain, having a low red blood cell count. But also, because there are overlapping conditions that can often mimic myeloma, like diabetes, which is particularly common in the African American and Latino American populations where we know myeloma has a higher incidence.
And lastly, sometimes it's difficult to make the diagnosis because there isn't just one test involved. And often in primary care, we may not know exactly what tests to order to make sure we have the right diagnosis established. We hope to shorten that time to the diagnosis of multiple myeloma.
For more information about multiple myeloma or if you have personal questions related to your own or a loved one's diagnosis, please visit us at myeloma.org.
Joseph Mikhael, MD, MEd, FRCPC, FACP, FASCO
International Myeloma Foundation Medical Advisor
TGen, City of Hope Cancer Center—Phoenix, AZ, USA
Dr Mikhael is a Professor in the Clinical Genomics and Therapeutics Division at the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), an affiliate of City of Hope Cancer Center. He is also the Director of Myeloma research at the HonorHealth Research Institute in Scottsdale, Arizona. Dr Mikhael specializes clinically in plasma cell disorders, namely multiple myeloma, amyloidosis, and Waldenstrom’s macroglobulinemia. He is the PI of many clinical trials, primarily in relapsed multiple myeloma, and his other clinical research interests include pharmaco-economics, communication skills, and media relations.
Dr. Mikhael recently served as the Chief Medical Officer of the International Myeloma Foundation (IMF) from 2018 to 2026 – he now serves as Medical Advisor to the IMF to provide guidance and strategic input in areas such as patient education, health disparities, collaboration with partners, international research, and publications.
Dr Mikhael has published over 200 peer-reviewed articles in these fields and lectures internationally on a regular basis. Dr. Mikhael is deeply committed to health disparities in myeloma and is the chair of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council at TGen. Dr. Mikhael is heavily involved in training future researchers and mentors junior faculty worldwide. Dr. Mikhael is an active member of the International Myeloma Working Group (IMWG) and recently led the ASCO guidelines in myeloma. Dr. Mikhael also serves as the Treasurer on the executive of the American Society of Hematology.
Dr. Mikhael did his medical training in Canada, including a fellowship in Multiple Myeloma at the Princess Margaret Hospital in Toronto. He also obtained his master’s degree in education from the University of Toronto. He then worked at the Mayo Clinic Arizona as a Hematologist from 2008-2018.