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Cancer Causes Control (2006) 17:931938DOI 10.1007/s10552-006-0030-xORIGINAL PAPERRisk patterns of multiple myeloma in Los Angeles County,
19721999 (United States)Mulugeta Gebregziabher Leslie Bernstein
Yaping Wang Wendy CozenReceived: 4 January 2006 / Accepted: 29 March 2006
Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2006AbstractObjective To describe the risk patterns of multiplemyeloma in Los Angeles County (LAC).Methods Incident multiple myeloma cases diagnosedfrom 1972 to 1999 were ascertained by the populationbased cancer registry for LAC. Average annual agespecific and age-adjusted incidence rates (AAIR),standardized to the 2000 US census age distribution,were calculated using age-, race-, sex- and socioeconomic status (SES)-specific denominators estimatedfor all years from US census data for 1970, 1980 and1990. Odds ratios (ORs) for risk by birthplace andreligion were estimated using multivariate logisticregression, comparing multiple myeloma patients withother cancer patients.Results All groups experienced increasing incidencewith age; African-Americans experienced the steepestincrease which began a decade earlier compared toother groups. Overall incidence rates were 50% higheramong males (n = 4,692) than females (n = 4,343)( p < 0.05). AAIRs were highest for African-Americans, followed by Spanish-surnamed whites (SSW),non-Spanish-surnamed whites (NSSW), Filipinos andother Asian groups. Among African-Americans, incidence rates increased with increasing SES. US-bornSSW had 14% lower risk compared to non-US bornSSW (OR = 0.86, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.740.99]. Jews had an 11% higher risk compared to Protestants (OR = 1.11; 95% CI = 0.991.24).Conclusion Risk patterns suggest a role for bothenvironmental and genetic factors.Keywords Multiple myeloma Race Socioeconomic
status Epidemiology Incidence ratesIntroductionMultiple myeloma is a cancer of plasma cells, the differentiated B lymphocytes that produce antibodiesafter exposure to antigen [1]. Abnormal antibodyproduction and bone destruction are clinical hallmarks,and immunoglobulin (Ig) translocations frequentlyoccur [2, 3].Although there are some suspected risk factors [1],little is definitively known about the etiology of multiple myeloma and most clues have been provided bydescriptive epidemiologic studies [4]. High incidencerates have consistently been reported for African-Americans with intermediate rates for persons ofEuropean origin, and low rates for Asians [5]. Limiteddata exist on incidence rates in Hispanics [6]. Evidenceof an association with socioeconomic status (SES) isinconsistent. Some studies have reported an inverseassociation between income and multiple myeloma risk[79], while other studies have not [10, 11].M. Gebregziabher L. Bernstein Y. Wang W. Cozen
Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck Schoolof Medicine, University of Southern California,Los Angeles, CA, USAW. CozenDepartment of Pathology, Keck School...