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Blood cancer awareness month resource center

Practical resources to support earlier recognition, diagnosis, and testing for multiple myeloma.

Every September, Blood Cancer Awareness Month provides an opportunity to raise awareness of blood cancers while helping improve recognition of the signs, symptoms, and diagnostic pathways that can lead to earlier diagnosis.

For patients with multiple myeloma, the diagnostic journey is often prolonged because early symptoms, including persistent bone pain, fatigue, anemia, recurrent infections, and renal impairment, overlap with many common conditions encountered in everyday clinical practice.1

Earlier diagnosis begins with asking an important question: Could this patient have multiple myeloma?

 

Earlier diagnosis is a shared responsibility

Earlier diagnosis doesn't happen because of one conversation, one laboratory test, or one healthcare provider.

It happens when clinicians recognize patients who may be at risk, laboratories support guideline-compliant testing, and care teams work together to move patients more efficiently through the diagnostic pathway.

This Blood Cancer Awareness Month, we invite you to explore these educational resources and join us in supporting symptom earlier recognition, evidence-based testing, and better outcomes for patients with multiple myeloma.

 

Choose your resources

Resources for healthcare providers

Laboratories play an essential role in helping clinicians move from clinical suspicion to diagnostic confidence.

These resources are designed to support testing optimization, strengthen diagnostic stewardship, and help laboratories improve compliance with current guideline recommendations.

Hennepin case study
Hennepin case study
In this case study Hennepin County Medical Center measured the gain of moving special protein testing from the clinical chemistry system to the dedicated Optilite Analyser.
Download
Washington University, St Louis case study
Washington University, St Louis case study
Learn more why the authors concluded to run Freelite assays on the Optilite Analyser.
Download case study

Resources for laboratory professionals

Hennepin case study
Hennepin case study
In this case study Hennepin County Medical Center measured the gain of moving special protein testing from the clinical chemistry system to the dedicated Optilite Analyser.
Download
Washington University, St Louis case study
Washington University, St Louis case study
Learn more why the authors concluded to run Freelite assays on the Optilite Analyser.
Download case study
UAMS case study
UAMS case study
Continue reading on how the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences signficantly reduced their reporting time.
Download case study

Need additional support?

Whether you're evaluating testing utilization, reviewing current workflows, or exploring opportunities to better support referring providers, our Scientific Affairs team is available to collaborate with your laboratory.

References
  1. Mikhael J, Bhutani M, Cole CE. Multiple myeloma for the primary care provider: a practical review to promote earlier diagnosis among diverse populations. Am J Med. 2023;136(1):33-41.
  2. Keren DF, Schroeder L, Nester TA, et al. Laboratory detection and initial diagnosis of monoclonal gammopathies: guideline from the College of American Pathologists in collaboration with the American Association for Clinical Chemistry and the American Society for Clinical Pathology. Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2022;146(5):575-590.
  3. Kumar SK, Callander NS, Adekola K, et al. Multiple myeloma, version 2.2024, NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology. J Natl Compr Canc Netw. 2023;21(12):1281-1301.
  4. Rajkumar SV, Dimopoulos MA, Palumbo A, et al. International Myeloma Working Group updated criteria for the diagnosis of multiple myeloma. Lancet Oncol. 2014;15(12):e538-e548.
  5. Carpenter A. Core lab efficiencies in monoclonal gammopathy testing. CAP Today [Internet]. 2024 May [cited 2026 Jul 17]. Available from: https://www.captodayonline.com/core-lab-efficiencies-in-monoclonal-gammopathy-testing/