National Cancer Institute National Cancer Institute
U.S. National Institutes of Health National Cancer Institute
Dictionary of Cancer Terms
Send to Printer
plasma cell myeloma (PLAZ-muh SEL MY-eh-LOH-muh)

 A type of cancer that begins in plasma cells (white blood cells that produce antibodies). Also called Kahler disease, multiple myeloma, and myelomatosis.

Enlarge
Blood cell development; drawing shows the steps a blood stem cell goes through to become a red blood cell, platelet, or white blood cell. A myeloid stem cell becomes a red blood cell, a platelet, or a myeloblast, which then becomes a granulocyte (the types of granulocytes are eosinophils, basophils, and neutrophils). A lymphoid stem cell becomes a lymphoblast and then becomes a B lymphocyte, T lymphocyte, or natural killer cell. A B lymphocyte may become a plasma cell.

Previous Definitions:plant sterol, plaque, plaque radiotherapy, plasma, plasma cell
Next Definitions:plasma cell tumor, plasma membrane, plasmacyte, plasmacytic, plasmacytoma