Sign and symptoms

Because many organs can be affected by myeloma, the symptoms and signs vary greatly. A mnemonic sometimes used to remember some of the common symptoms of multiple myeloma is CRAB:

C = Calcium (elevated),

R = Renal failure,

A = Anemia,

B = Bone lesions.

Myeloma has many other possible symptoms, including opportunistic infections (e.g., pneumonia). CRAB symptoms and proliferation of monoclonal plasma cells in the bone marrow are part of the diagnostic criteria of multiple myeloma.