Risk Factors, Complications, And Treatment Options For 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.

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