Multiple myeloma is a serious type of blood cancer that begins in plasma cells, a kind of white blood cell that helps the body fight infections.
Although it is not as well known as some other cancers, it is one of the most common blood cancers in the United States. Health experts have also noticed that the number of people developing this disease has been increasing over time.
For many years, doctors have known that men are more likely than women to develop multiple myeloma. However, the reasons behind this difference have remained unclear. Now, a large new study has provided important clues that may help explain why men face a higher risk and why their disease is often more severe when it is diagnosed.
The research was published in the journal Cancer and examined 850 people who had recently been diagnosed with multiple myeloma. The participants were enrolled in the IMAGE study, which stands for Integrative Molecular And Genetic Epidemiology, at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
By carefully studying the patients’ health information, disease characteristics, and genetic data, researchers were able to identify important differences between men and women.
One of the clearest findings was that men were nearly twice as likely to have multiple myeloma compared with women. Researchers also found that the disease tended to be more advanced in men at the time of diagnosis.
Men were more likely to be diagnosed with stage III disease, the most serious stage in the International Staging System used by doctors to assess multiple myeloma.
The study revealed other important differences as well. Men generally had higher levels of abnormal proteins in their blood. These proteins, known as serum monoclonal proteins, are produced by cancerous plasma cells.
Higher levels usually suggest that there is a larger amount of cancer present in the body. This finding supports the idea that men often have a greater disease burden when their cancer is discovered.
Researchers also found that men experienced more complications related to multiple myeloma. Kidney failure was more common among male patients, and they also showed more damage to their bones.
Multiple myeloma can weaken bones, causing pain, fractures, and other serious problems. The greater amount of bone damage seen in men suggests that the disease may progress differently between the sexes.
Interestingly, the study found that men were less likely to have low bone mineral density than women. At first glance, this might seem like a health advantage. However, when researchers looked at the overall picture, they found many other differences in how the disease appeared and behaved.
These findings suggest that multiple myeloma may not be exactly the same disease in men and women. Instead, biological differences may influence how it develops and progresses.
To make sure their results were reliable, the scientists considered many other factors that could affect health. These included age, race, body weight, education level, household income, smoking habits, and alcohol use.
Even after adjusting for all of these factors, the differences between men and women remained strong. This suggests that the explanation goes beyond lifestyle or social factors alone.
The researchers also looked at chromosome abnormalities that are known to play a role in the development of multiple myeloma. They discovered that certain genetic changes linked to the disease were more common in younger men.
These findings may help explain why men not only develop multiple myeloma more often but may also experience more aggressive forms of the cancer.
According to lead researcher Dr. Krystle L. Ong from the O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, the results point toward biological mechanisms that differ between men and women. Understanding these differences could help doctors improve the way they identify high-risk patients and choose the most appropriate treatments.
The findings may eventually lead to more personalized approaches to cancer care. Instead of treating every patient in exactly the same way, doctors may be able to consider sex-specific factors when assessing risk, making diagnoses, and planning treatment strategies. This could improve outcomes for both men and women.
Although more research is needed, this study provides valuable insight into one of the biggest unanswered questions about multiple myeloma. By learning why men are more likely to develop the disease and why their cases are often more severe, scientists are taking an important step toward better prevention, earlier diagnosis, and more effective treatment in the future.
The study was published in the journal Cancer.
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