Disentangling age, gender, and racial/ethnic disparities in multiple myeloma burden: a modeling study

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a hematological malignancy that is consistently preceded by an asymptomatic condition, monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS). Disparities by age, gender, and race/ethnicity in both MGUS and MM are well-established. However, it remains unclear whether these disparities can be explained by increased incidence of MGUS and/or accelerated progression from MGUS to MM. Here, we fit a mathematical model to nationally representative data from the United States and showed that the difference in MM incidence can be explained by an increased incidence of MGUS among male and non-Hispanic Black populations. We did not find evidence showing differences in the rate of progression from MGUS to MM by either gender or race/ethnicity. Our results suggest that screening for MGUS among high-risk groups (e.g., non-Hispanic Black men) may hold promise as a strategy to reduce the burden and MM health disparities.

Automated summary

In this study, a mathematical model was used to analyze nationally representative data from the United States and found that the difference in multiple myeloma incidence can be explained by an increased incidence of monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) among male and non-Hispanic Black populations. There was no evidence showing differences in the rate of progression from MGUS to multiple myeloma by either gender or race/ethnicity. The results suggest that screening for MGUS among high-risk groups, such as non-Hispanic Black men, may be a promising strategy to reduce the burden and disparities in multiple myeloma health.