Multiple myeloma Multiple myeloma occurs when plasma cells in the bone marrow multiply to excess.
Plasma cells are white blood cells that produce antibodies to fight infections.
Bone marrow is the soft, fatty tissue inside bones. As a result of the disease, bone marrow does not produce the parts of the blood as it normally does, bones are weakened, and the few normal plasma cells are less able to fight infection. Thalidomide Is Back Nearly four decades ago, a new sedative brought the golden age of pharmaceuticals to a tragic end.