Renowned Hindi and Marathi actress Pravina Deshpande passed away at 60 after battling multiple myeloma since 2019. Known for Ghar Ek Mandir, Kumkum, and films like Ready, she faced skin eruptions, severe back pain, chemotherapy, and a bone marrow transplant during her cancer journey. The disease affects plasma cells and weakens bones.
Pravina Deshpande, a renowned television and film actress, passed away after a long battle with cancer in Mumbai. The 60-year-old, who featured in famous television shows like Ghar Ek Mandir, Kumkum, and films like Jalebi and Ready, was under treatment for multiple myeloma – a type of blood cancer- since 2019.
In an earlier interview, Pravina had spoken about how she started having eruptions on her skin, which spread gradually, before the diagnosis. “It began with minor skin eruptions and gradually spread,” she said in an interview with The Times of India. In 2022, Pravina suffered extreme back pain once her first round of treatment was over.
“While performing in a play, I suffered severe back pain, indicating it was time to start treatment. I completed shooting a web series in September and was admitted for chemotherapy the same month, followed by a bone marrow transplant,” she said.
She had been vocal about her family support, especially her husband Aniruddh, who she said stood like a rock during her long treatment.
What is multiple myeloma?
Multiple myeloma is a cancer of the plasma cells, a type of white blood cell in the bone marrow that normally helps fight infections. It causes abnormal plasma cells to multiply rapidly and form tumours in bones throughout the body, leading to bone pain, fractures, kidney damage, fatigue, and infections.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, multiple myeloma cannot be cured, but doctors can treat symptoms and related conditions that it can cause. Often, they can slow its progress, so you can live longer.
What causes multiple myeloma?
While doctors are not sure of what causes multiple myeloma, it happens when there is a change or mutation in your plasma cells. The mutations cause plasma cells to divide uncontrollably, which are not the ones that you are born with. But doctors say these mutations happen over the lifetime.
Experts are researching links between specific types of mutations and multiple myeloma. The type of mutation helps providers know how aggressive the disease is. It provides clues about how it will respond to treatment. A few risk factors for multiple myeloma include:
Gender
Multiple myeloma affects more males than females.
Race
It affects twice as many people who are Black as it does people of other races.
Age
Most people with multiple myeloma are diagnosed between 40 and 70. The median age of diagnosis is 69. A median is a midpoint. Half of the people are younger than 69, and half are older. But generally, it affects older adults.
Having a family member with multiple myeloma
Rarely, more than one family member has multiple myeloma. But experts don’t know why there’s a link. This condition isn’t hereditary.
Environmental factors
There may be connections between multiple myeloma and exposure to pesticides, fertilizer, or Agent Orange.
Obesity and being overweight
Having obesity is a known risk factor for the development of multiple myeloma.