Hi MAD I had never heard of mm before even the doctor was not sure as we only have about 5000 cases a year in the UK they kept thinking I had prostate cancer and no one in my family had heard of it and so you Google it and that can be scary as a lot of information is outdated or wrong I'm still fighting good luck to you in your journey.

I just say it’s bone marrow cancer.

We had not heard of it before Andy got his diagnosis. The first oncologist he saw, freaked him out. She said he had stage 3 and it’s very serious. He nearly passed out. Thankfully, he has come a long way, but people don’t really understand MM. It is complex and everyone is so different.

I was told by my transplant doctor, nine years ago, that they really didn't know the cause of MM. They suspected (and still do, I suppose) what are called VOC's -- volatile organic compounds. One example of these is solvents used in oil based paints. I was self-employed as a carpenter/painter/remodeler at the time. He didn't want me to paint at all anymore. But he compromised and told me to use only latex paints. They contain VOC's, but much less.
Petroleum products like gasoline and diesel are VOC's. As is charcoal lighter fluid.
Various bug and weed killers contain them also. They are strongly suspected causes of MM. But unless things have changed, researchers are not sure what the cause is. I don't think they believe it's hereditary.

I just tell them either google or look it up on you tube that seems to work the best because it’s hard to explain.