1 symptom leads to dad's cancer diagnosis: "I was like, 'Wait, what?'"
Summary
Eric Dillon initially thought his shoulder pain was from a muscle injury, but an MRI later revealed he had multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer. He began treatment at MD Anderson Cancer Center and joined a clinical trial to help improve care for others, especially Black patients who are more affected by this disease.Key Facts
- Eric Dillon’s shoulder pain was first treated as a rotator cuff injury before cancer was diagnosed.
- Multiple myeloma affects plasma cells and can cause bone damage, anemia, kidney problems, and high calcium levels.
- The disease often mimics common muscle or joint pain, making diagnosis difficult and slow.
- Black Americans make up about 20% of multiple myeloma patients but only 4% of the U.S. population and tend to get the disease younger.
- Black patients are underrepresented in clinical trials for multiple myeloma despite their higher risk.
- Dillon joined a clinical trial after starting treatment to contribute to better understanding and fairness in research.
- He adjusted his work and kept a journal to track treatment effects and side effects.
- His experience highlights the importance of awareness and early diagnosis for this cancer.
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