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Myeloma

Racial disparities in the prevalence of monoclonal gammopathies: a population-based study of 12 482 persons from the National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey

Leukemia volume 28, pages 1537–1542 (2014)Cite this article

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Abstract

Multiple myeloma (MM) incidence is markedly higher in blacks compared with whites, which may be related to a higher prevalence of monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS). Our objective was to define the prevalence and risk factors of MGUS in a large cohort representative of the US population. Stored serum samples from the National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (NHANES) III or NHANES 1999–2004 were available for 12 482 individuals of age ⩾50 years (2331 ‘blacks’, 2475 Hispanics, 7051 ‘whites’ and 625 ‘others’) on which agarose-gel electrophoresis, serum protein immunofixation, serum-free light-chain assay and M-protein typing were performed. MGUS was identified in 365 participants (2.4%). Adjusted prevalence of MGUS was significantly higher (P<0.001) in blacks (3.7%) compared with whites (2.3%) (P=0.001) or Hispanics (1.8%), as were characteristics that posed a greater risk of progression to MM. The adjusted prevalence of MGUS was 3.1% and 2.1% for the North/Midwest versus South/West regions of the United States, respectively (P=0.052). MGUS is significantly more common in blacks, and more often has features associated with higher risk of progression to MM. A strong geographic disparity in the prevalence of MGUS between the North/Midwest versus the South/West regions of the United States was found, which has etiologic implications.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported in part by National Cancer Institute grants CA 168762, CA 107476, CA 62242, CA 100707, CA 83724; the Intramural Program of the National Cancer Institute; the Jabbs Foundation (Birmingham, United Kingdom); and the Henry J. Predolin Foundation, USA.

Author contributions

OL, BIG and SVR designed the research, analyzed the data and wrote and edited the manuscript. JAK, RAK, IA, RC, SKK, AD, AJG, TMT, LJM, NE, NK, MR, RC and GMM participated in data interpretation, reviewed the manuscript and provided comments. All authors reviewed and approved the final manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Multiple Myeloma Section, Center for Cancer Research, Metabolism Branch, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD, USA

    O Landgren, I Ahmadizadeh, N Korde, M Roschewski & R Costello

  2. Divsion of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, Biostatistics Branch, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD, USA

    B I Graubard & N Caporaso

  3. Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, College of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA

    J A Katzmann & R Clark

  4. Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA

    R A Kyle, S K Kumar, A Dispenzieri, T M Therneau & S V Rajkumar

  5. Division of Epidemiology, Department of Health Sciences Research, College of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA

    A J Greenberg & L J Melton III

  6. Division of Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, Hyattsville, MD, USA

    G M McQuillan

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  1. O Landgren
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Correspondence to O Landgren.

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Landgren, O., Graubard, B., Katzmann, J. et al. Racial disparities in the prevalence of monoclonal gammopathies: a population-based study of 12 482 persons from the National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey. Leukemia 28, 1537–1542 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1038/leu.2014.34

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