Risk Factors for Multiple Myeloma

Risk factor list: The list of risk factors mentioned for Multiple Myeloma in various sources includes:

• Family history of multiple myeloma
• Certain chemicals
• Farmers
• Petroleum workers
• Radiation exposure - from atom bombs or nuclear accidents.

Risk factors discussion: Some research suggests that certain risk factors increase a person's chance of getting multiple myeloma. For example, a person's family background appears to affect the risk of developing multiple myeloma; children and brothers and sisters of patients who have this disease have a slightly increased risk. Farmers and petroleum workers exposed to certain chemicals also seem to have a higher-than-average chance of getting multiple myeloma. In addition, people exposed to large amounts of radiation (such as survivors of the atomic bomb explosions in Japan) have an increased risk for this disease. Scientists have some concern that smaller amounts of radiation (such as those radiologists and workers in nuclear plants are exposed to) also may increase the risk. At this time, however, scientists do not have clear evidence that large numbers of medical x-rays increase the risk for multiple myeloma. In fact, most people receive a fairly small number of x-rays, and scientists believe that the benefits of medical x-rays far outweigh the possible risk for multiple myeloma.

In most cases, people who develop multiple myeloma have no clear risk factors. The disease may be the result of several factors (known and/or unknown) acting together.¹

Footnotes:
1. excerpt from What You Need To Know About Multiple Myeloma: NCI

Last revision: June 2, 2003

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