Recommended diagnostic steps for general practitioners attending patients with difficulties that could indicate multiple myeloma
Abstract
Multiple myeloma incidence in the Czech Republic is 3 to 4 cases per 100 000 inhabitants.Multiple myeloma responds well to treatment, and disease remission persisting for years is common. Early diagnosis isparamount for successful treatment and it depends in many cases on the first contact doctors.
Therefore, in cooperation with neurologists, orthopaedists and radiologists, the Czech Myeloma Group has issued the following brief guidelines, followed by detailed text, describing the symptoms and diagnostic pitfalls of thedisease for the first contact doctors. For ease we will summarizemultiple myeloma symptoms into 5 subparagraphs.
Each of them is a reason for examination with the aim of confirming or not confirming the malignant origin of the problem. If one of these recommended examinations is positive, it is a reason for continuing the diagnostic process.
A generalpractitioner usually refers the patient to the specialised department for this follow-up examination.