Multiple Myeloma and Plasmacytoma

Abstract

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a clonal disorder of B-cell lymphocytic lineage characterized by malignant transformation of plasma cells. It accounts for approx 10% of all the hematological malignancies and 1% of all cancers in the United States. In the year 2000, MM was diagnosed in approx 13,700 people in the United States and accounted for 20% of deaths from hematological malignancies (1). The median age of onset is 68 yr. It is slightly more frequent in women and the incidence in African-Americans is twice that of Whites. Both the overall incidence and specifically the incidence in African-Americans have been rising in recent years. A recent study explored whether dietary factors contribute to the risk of MM and the twofold higher incidence among Blacks compared with Whites in the United States. Data from a food frequency questionnaire were analyzed for 346 White and 193 Black subjects with MM, and 1086 White and 903 Black controls who participated in a population-based case-control study of MM in three areas of the United States. This study concluded that the greater use of vitamin C supplements by Whites and the higher frequency of obesity among Blacks may explain part of the higher incidence of MM among Blacks compared to Whites in the United States.