Multiple Myeloma
- Causes and Risk Factors
What are the risk factors for multiple myeloma?
There is no specific cause for myeloma, but some factors that can increase the risk of myeloma include:
- Age – Myeloma is more common in people over the age of 55 and increases with age such that over the age of 80 years up to 5% of patients may have myeloma.
- Gender – Males are slightly more likely to develop myeloma compared to females.
- Repeated exposure to toxic elements such as agricultural chemicals or pesticides, and petrochemicals are thought to increase the risk of Myeloma.
- Exposure to DNA damaging ionising radiation or chemotherapeutic agents
- Obesity is a common risk factor for several forms of cancers, including Myeloma
People with a first degree relative (a parent, sibling, or child) with Myeloma are nearly two times more likely to develop it compared to the general population
