A risk factor increases or raises a person’s chances of getting cancer. Although risk factors frequently influence cancer development, most of them do not directly cause the disease. Some people with multiple risk factors never get cancer, whereas others with no risk factors or people who show glimpses of it do. It is essential to know your risk factors and open up about them with your medical practitioner; on the other hand, it may help you make some informed lifestyle and health care decisions.
Several risk factors connect to multiple myeloma, including age, genetics, Radiation exposure, and other conditions. These plasma cells are white blood cells that make the antibodies white blood cells that help fight infections.
If a person has multiple myeloma, they produce too many plasma cells and develop tumors. These cells can crowd out other normal cells in the bone marrow, creating red blood cells and other white blood cells.
Multiple myeloma may cause no symptoms. However, more advanced types may cause bone pain, fever, bones that break easily, bleeding, and bruising.
This article provides an overview of the risk factors for multiple myeloma. We also look at whether people can prevent this disease and the early signs of cancer.
The causes of melanoma are unknown and are not understood. There are currently no known preventative measures for the same. There are currently no obvious, substantial risk factors for melanoma. Although the mutations that cause melanoma are acquired rather than inherited, family history is a known risk factor. First degree relatives of people with multiple myeloma are two to three times more likely to develop the disease. Parents, siblings, and children are examples of first degree relatives.
The following factors can increase a person’s risk of developing melanoma:
Age – Myeloma occurs most commonly in people over 60. The average age at diagnosis is 70. Only 2% of the cases occur in people under 40.
Race – Myeloma occurs twice as frequently in people who are dark-skinned than in people who are fair-skinned. The reasons are unclear, although the disease appears to be more common in the Middle East, North Africa, and the Mediterranean.
Exposure to radiation or chemicals: People exposed to radiation or asbestos, benzene, pesticides, and other chemicals used in rubber manufacturing may be at higher risk of developing myeloma. People who work with wood products regularly, such as carpenters, furniture makers, and paper makers, are also at high risk. There is no prevalence of myeloma among professional firefighters and military personnel. There is also an increased incidence of melanoma among professional firefighters and those exposed to herbicides, including Agent Orange.
Personal history: People with a history of a solitary plasmacytoma of the bone are at a greater risk for developing multiple myeloma.
Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance – As explained in the Introduction of the same, a person with a small amount of M protein in their blood has a 1 percent to 2 percent ( 1% – 2%) chance of developing myeloma, lymphoma, or another blood-related cancer called Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia per year.
Gender: Myeloma is slightly more common in men. Myeloma is also common among professional firefighters and those exposed to herbicides such as agent orange.
Obesity: It is essential not to be overweight or obese as it increases a person’s risk of developing myeloma.
