Patti Scialfa, wife of Bruce Springsteen and member of the E Street Band, was diagnosed with a type of blood cancer called Multiple myeloma.
She opened up about her illness in the documentary “Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band,” which premiered at the Toronto Film Festival on September 8.
This work is, Famous musicians And a look at the longtime band's latest tour.
Bruce Springsteen's wife announces blood cancer diagnosis
“It affects my immune system, so I have to be careful in choosing what I do and where I go,” Siarfa, 71, said in the film about his illness.
Patti Scialfa, Bruce Springsteen's wife and E Street Band member, recently revealed that she was diagnosed with a type of blood cancer called multiple myeloma in 2018. (Getty Images)
“Every now and then I get to come to a show or two and sing a few songs onstage, which is really nice,” she continued.
Scialfa joined the E Street Band just before the band's 1984 “Born in the USA” tour, then married Springsteen in 1991 and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014.
Fox News Digital has reached out to Siarfa for comment.
What is multiple myeloma?
Multiple myeloma, a cancer of the bone marrow cells, is diagnosed in more than 35,000 people in the United States each year, according to the American Cancer Society.
Plasma cells grow in the bone marrow, which is also known as the blood “factory.”
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In healthy people, cells produce proteins called antibodies that target bacteria to fight infection, says Dr. Christina Gasparetto, a hematologist-oncologist and professor of medicine at Duke University School of Medicine.
According to the ACS, multiple myeloma occurs when plasma cells grow in an “uncontrolled” manner.
According to the American Cancer Society, multiple myeloma occurs when plasma cells grow in an “uncontrollable” manner. (iStock)
As a result, abnormal antibodies are secreted into the bloodstream and can damage bones and other organs.
“[The disease] “Myeloma is called 'multifocal' because it often grows in multiple spots or areas in the bone,” Dr. Joseph Michael, chief medical officer for the International Myeloma Foundation in California, told Fox News Digital.
Symptoms of the disease
“Most of the signs and symptoms of myeloma are fairly general, the main ones being extreme fatigue, bone pain and anemia,” Mikhael said.
However, some patients may not have any symptoms at the time of diagnosis.
Experts say the most common symptoms can be summed up under the acronym “CRAB,” which stands for elevated blood calcium levels, kidney failure, anemia and bone destruction.
According to experts, the three main symptoms of the disease are extreme fatigue, bone pain and anemia.
Gasparetto told Fox News Digital that bone pain is a hallmark of the disease, which can occur when myeloma cells grow in the bones, leading to elevated calcium levels in the blood.
“Symptoms of hypercalcemia include increased thirst, dehydration, fatigue, muscle pain and sometimes confusion,” she added.
According to the American Cancer Society, more than 35,000 people are diagnosed with multiple myeloma each year in the United States. (iStock)
Antibodies produced by myeloma cells are excreted by the kidneys but can cause blockages or direct damage to organs.
“Patients may notice bubbles in their urine. [abnormal] “This is a protein called Bence Jones proteinuria,” Gasparetto says.
Diagnostic methods
The first step is usually to conduct certain blood and urine tests that reveal abnormally high levels of a protein shed by tumor cells, often called an “M spike,” experts told Fox News Digital.
“We measure this protein at diagnosis and during treatment to assess response, and then to monitor progression or recurrence,” Gasparetto said.
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Bone pain may also prompt imaging tests, which may reveal skeletal abnormalities.
The initial results are then confirmed by bone puncture and biopsy.
“A bone marrow aspiration takes a small amount of fluid from the bone marrow, and a bone marrow biopsy takes a small piece of bone,” Gasparetto said.
Myeloma does not typically run in families, but having a family member with the disease may slightly increase the chance of developing it, experts say. (iStock)
A pathologist will then analyze the sample to determine the severity of the disease.
Experts told Fox News Digital that a final diagnosis will be based on a combination of all tests, including blood tests, bone marrow aspirate and biopsy, imaging studies and urine tests.
Risk factors for disease
Myeloma does not typically run in families, but having a family member with the disease does make you slightly more likely to develop it, Mikael told Fox News Digital.
“In most cases, the cause of myeloma is unknown.”
In most cases, the cause is Random genetic changes Experts say these diseases tend to occur later in life.
“The cause of most myeloma cases is unknown,” Mikhael said. “As the population ages, myeloma is becoming more common, with the average age at diagnosis being around 69.”
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African American and Latino patients are diagnosed at a younger age, on average 64 or 65 years of age.
Statistics show that people of African descent are twice as likely to develop myeloma.
Doctors say multiple myeloma becomes more likely with age, with the average age at which it is diagnosed being around 69. (iStock)
Mikhael noted that firefighters who encounter fires are at greater risk, and that exposure to other types of chemicals, such as Agent Orange and excess radiation, has also been linked to myeloma.
People with a high BMI or certain blood disorders, such as monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS), in which abnormal proteins are found in the blood without organ damage caused by multiple myeloma, may also be at higher risk.
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In most cases, multiple myeloma cannot be prevented, according to Dr. Mikael Sekeres, chief of the hematology department at Sylvester Cancer Center. University of Miami.
Treatment options
The American Cancer Society recommends that myeloma patients see an oncologist for an individualized treatment plan based on their age, overall health, and the severity of their disease.
Some treatments may include monoclonal antibodies or drugs called immunomodulators, which boost the immune system to help the body fight cancer.
“Multiple myeloma is [also] “It will need to be treated with chemotherapy, up to three to four drugs for several months, followed by maintenance therapy,” the doctor said. (iStock)
“Multiple myeloma is [also] “It needs to be treated with chemotherapy, up to three or four drugs for a few months, followed by maintenance therapy,” Sekeres told Fox News Digital.
Patients who qualify can undergo bone marrow (stem cell) transplants, which can lead to long-term remission, the doctor added.
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According to Mikhael, the cancer cannot be cured with conventional treatments, but most patients respond well to treatment.
“Just 20 years ago, the average survival rate was one to two years; now it's more than 10 years,” he noted.
