Out of all those risk factors the only one that is preventable is obesity. According to a study from the University of Texas Health Science Center, obesity increases the risk for myeloma. The lead author of the study, Dr. Edward Medina predicts that the obesity problems in the Hispanic population could increase the numbers in multiple myeloma.
Multiple myeloma is the second most common cancer of the blood. Having MGUS is also associated with obesity and at risk for myeloma. Investigators have studied Body Mass Index (BMI) at different ages and they found that excess body weight in both early adulthood and later in life puts them at risk for this disease. In a study conducted in Spain, they found that approximately one-third of myeloma patients they studied were obese.
Since obesity is the only preventable risk factor, researchers found that controlling obesity could potentially be effective in preventing myeloma. Their research found that there was a significant shorter survival rate in obese myeloma patients compared to others that were at a normal weight.
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