ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Her typical routine is fighting for justice, but as we learned Monday, Monroe County District Attorney Sandra Doorley is fighting multiple myeloma, a rare form of cancer. Doctors describe it as a "complicated, uncommon disease."
"It's a malignancy of a cell type called the plasma cell," explained Dr. Jane Liesveld.
Plasma cells also known as white blood cells help the body's immune system fight disease by producing antibody proteins.
"But, what happens in this particular cancer is that a clone of these plasma cells starts to grow abnormally," said Liesveld, a hematologist at Wilmot Cancer Institute where Doorley is receiving treatment.
Liesveld said a variety of symptoms can arise. Some are as common as fatigue, loss of appetite and infections.
"Or perhaps an unexpected fracture due to the weakening of the bones, but in sometimes a muscle pain or a nerve pain can lead to the eventual diagnosis," Liesveld said.
When it comes to treatment, chemotherapy is one option. So is radiation, surgery, even a stem cell transplant.
"The median survival now with current therapies is actually somewhere in between five to seven years," Liesveld said. "But, there are a lot of factors that go into the prognosis."
Liesveld clarified that timeline may not apply to Doorley.
Doorley, who was the first woman to be elected as Monroe County's district attorney, told Time Warner Cable News she is "Gonna kick this," and she asks that everyone keeps her in their prayers.
Doorley added she plans to continue her duties as district attorney while she undergoes treatment; something Liesveld said isn't out of the question.
"For most patients, this does not need to be a major disrupter of activity," Liesveld said.
As for the cause of multiple myeloma, that remains a mystery. It's not genetic, age may be a factor and the only known environmental factor is high exposure to radiation.