Risk Factors, Complications, And Treatment Options For Multiple Myeloma

Obesity

Class 1 obesity is defined as having a body-mass index (BMI) of thirty to 34.9. Class 2 obesity is defined as having a BMI of thirty-five to thirty-nine. Individuals with class 3 obesity have a BMI of over forty. Harvard researchers believe any class of obesity is a risk factor for developing multiple myeloma and that obese individuals are at greater risk than those with a body-mass index between 18.5 and twenty-nine Their research also shows obesity is a greater risk factor for men than for women. Interleukin-6 is present in fat tissue, and researchers are looking into whether this and any other factors associated with obesity are linked to multiple myeloma.

Family History

Many patients with multiple myeloma do not have family members with the disease because the condition is so rare. However, multiple myeloma does run in some families, and if individuals have an immediate family member who has multiple myeloma, their chance of developing the disease is three to four times greater. Some studies have also shown families of African ancestry have a higher risk. Researchers have concluded there are some genetic factors linked to the disease, including loci (where genes are located on chromosomes). Doctors discovered this link in the 1920s with studies of family members affected by multiple myeloma. Other similar cases have arisen since then, and experts continue to explore the significance of genetic factors.