Broadcaster Diagnosed With Smouldering Myeloma

BBC Radio host Lauren Laverne shares SMM diagnosis following routine checks. Discover the science and monitoring guidelines for smouldering multiple myeloma.

Lauren Laverne, the popular BBC presenter, host of BBC Radio 6 Music and Desert Island Discs, has shared details of a new medical diagnosis. Laverne, who previously sang in the 90s band Kenickie, announced she is facing smouldering myeloma. This comes less than a year after she recovered from an earlier, undisclosed cancer.

What is Smouldering Myeloma? The Pathophysiology of the Precursor

Doctors describe Smoldering Multiple Myeloma (SMM) as an asymptomatic, pre-malignant precursor to active Multiple Myeloma (MM). The disorder is characterized by abnormal plasma cells multiplying in the bone marrow without causing systemic damage. The condition sits between monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) and active cancer, requiring close monitoring (1^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Smoldering Multiple Myeloma: Early Intervention or Structured Surveillance? A Comprehensive Review of Evidence for and Against Early Therapy

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)(2^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Genomic patterns of progression in smoldering multiple myeloma

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).

The Timeline and Her Personal Reflections on the Diagnosis

Laverne disclosed her diagnosis on Instagram in July 2026, sharing that post-cancer check-ups helped detect the condition early. In August 2025, she announced her first cancer, saying: “It was (thank God) caught early and unexpectedly during a screening test, and I am expected to make a full recovery.”. Following her return to The One Show, she remains optimistic despite this new, chronic health development.

How is Smouldering Myeloma Caused?

The exact cause of the disease remains unknown, though experts link SMM to genetic mutations that occur during blood cell production. These mutations trigger abnormal plasma cell clones to expand, although they do not yet cause anemia or bone lesions. Rather than starting immediate chemotherapy, clinicians use a watch-and-wait approach with regular MRIs and bone marrow biopsies (3^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance and Smoldering Multiple Myeloma: A review of the current understanding of epidemiology, biology, risk stratification and management of myeloma precursor disease

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).

References:

1. Smoldering multiple myeloma: A review – (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30252388/)
2. Pathogenesis and progression of smoldering multiple myeloma – (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7202392/)
3. Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) and smoldering multiple myeloma (SMM) – (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36244620/)

Source-Medindia