Multiple myeloma - Modern and Ayurvedic perspective- a critical review

Abstract

Multiple myeloma (MM) represents a malignant proliferation of plasma cells derived from a single clone. It’s the most important of the class of diseases included under plasma cell dyscrasias. Multiple myeloma is the second most common haematological malignancy. Recent studies state that in India there is reporting of 2 cases for every 100,000 individuals which translates that there would be 50,000 new cases a year and that might be just the tip of the iceberg considering the large number of people. The etiopathogenesis and diagnosis of Multiple Myeloma have intrigued modern oncology researchers for decades, and it is still a rapidly growing area in medicine. MM is not a single disease, but rather a collection of related diseases which is diagnosed based on aberrant cellular changes. Since this is established by modern medical science, it becomes important to understand it from the perspective of Ayurveda . Even though there are a few endeavours in this area, in the past decades, unprecedented progress was made in research with a focus on understanding Myeloma biology, its pathogenesis, and the development of novel drugs. Even though lots of advancements have been made in the understanding of this disease, it has still not made its way into the category of curable diseases. This special issue reflects the understanding of multiple myeloma from an Ayurvedic point of view to be able to work towards turning Myeloma into a manageable one.