I find it interesting that, up until my diagnosis two years ago, cancer of any kind was not really found in my family. Even my Uncle Jim, who smoked profusely, never developed lung cancer (although he did develop emphysema, which he eventually died from).
Now, within the span of two years, two of us have been diagnosed with the same malady, although we are separated by a generation and are not even full blood relatives. Coincidence? Who knows?
I just hope and pray that I have not passed this along to my kids. I do know that strides are being made and, if they do develop it down the line, perhaps it won't be the devastating disease that it has been in the past.
Forums
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Blackbird - Name: Rick Crow
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Me
- When were you/they diagnosed?: Feb, 2013
- Age at diagnosis: 53
Re: Does multiple myeloma run in families?
My paternal aunt had multiple myerloma and passed away in December of 2013.
I also oddly just discovered that a childhood neighbor (two houses away) was diagnosed a month before I was (May 2014).
With it not being very common, it suddenly feels like quite a bit around me.
I also oddly just discovered that a childhood neighbor (two houses away) was diagnosed a month before I was (May 2014).
With it not being very common, it suddenly feels like quite a bit around me.
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heatherlib - Name: heather
- Who do you know with myeloma?: self
- When were you/they diagnosed?: may 2014
- Age at diagnosis: 52
Re: Does multiple myeloma run in families?
Hello,
After that last post, I'd thought I'd mention that I too have friends with this disease and we all live in the same town - developed on property that was previously farmed for centuries. We all have well water and I can't help but wonder if the chemicals from the farm industry might be causative factors?
When you test your well water, it is typically only for bacteria and heavy metals. I don't think it includes nitrous fertilizers and pesticides...
This would be a good question for a beacon poll:)
J
After that last post, I'd thought I'd mention that I too have friends with this disease and we all live in the same town - developed on property that was previously farmed for centuries. We all have well water and I can't help but wonder if the chemicals from the farm industry might be causative factors?
When you test your well water, it is typically only for bacteria and heavy metals. I don't think it includes nitrous fertilizers and pesticides...
This would be a good question for a beacon poll:)
J
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jhorner - Name: Magpie
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Myself
- When were you/they diagnosed?: 2013
- Age at diagnosis: 49
Re: Does multiple myeloma run in families?
My father was recently diagnosed with stage 3 multiple myeloma. He fell a year and a half ago and has been in pain since. Started treatment 8 weeks ago, blood counts still dropping. He told me that my grandfather fell and died from bone cancer soon after, as did my great grandfather? My dad also has battled colon cancer twice, so may not be hereditary, but sure looks like it to me.
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Gdhurst61 - Name: Glenn
- Who do you know with myeloma?: My father
- When were you/they diagnosed?: Two months ago, stage III
- Age at diagnosis: 83
Re: Does multiple myeloma run in families?
My Mum had multiple myeloma. She was treated in South Africa and did very well over 15 years. She had numerous infections. pneumonia and shingles, etc. She died aged 67 from post surgical complications when she had a heart valve replacement,
I was diagnosed with smoldering multiple myeloma last month, I am living in Australia.
I was diagnosed with smoldering multiple myeloma last month, I am living in Australia.
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KarenR - Name: Karen
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Self. My mom had it
- When were you/they diagnosed?: Dec 2018
- Age at diagnosis: 57
Re: Does multiple myeloma run in families?
Interesting anecdotes, but even though multiple myeloma is not one of the more common cancers, it is not so rare that happening more than once in the same family means its genetic. The lifetime risk of getting multiple myeloma is about 1 in 132. So if we gather hundreds of multiple myeloma patients and starting looking through the families, just based on chance alone we would expect to find several families that have multiple affected members. It takes more than one isolated study to prove a genetic component.
I do believe it is likely there is some genetic component to multiple myeloma that makes people a little more susceptible but have not really figured that out yet. When and if that is shown, it is likely that some multiple myeloma may be more genetic and yet the majority would likely still be sporadic,
Steve
I do believe it is likely there is some genetic component to multiple myeloma that makes people a little more susceptible but have not really figured that out yet. When and if that is shown, it is likely that some multiple myeloma may be more genetic and yet the majority would likely still be sporadic,
Steve
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g_steve - Who do you know with myeloma?: Me
- When were you/they diagnosed?: September 2016
- Age at diagnosis: 53
Re: Does multiple myeloma run in families?
For what it's worth, my half uncle succumbed to this disease in December of 2017, so he only lived a couple of years post diagnosis. His was a much, much more aggressive form than what I have.
I have no idea if the form that multiple myeloma takes in a person has any bearing on the genetics aspect of it possibly being a familial type of disease, but it's interesting to consider.
I have no idea if the form that multiple myeloma takes in a person has any bearing on the genetics aspect of it possibly being a familial type of disease, but it's interesting to consider.
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Blackbird - Name: Rick Crow
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Me
- When were you/they diagnosed?: Feb, 2013
- Age at diagnosis: 53
Re: Does multiple myeloma run in families?
My mother has multiple myeloma, her brother was diagnosed with myeloma 2 years later after her diagnosis, and her sister was diagnosed with MGUS 4 years later. So I think this disease might be hereditary.
Ruchi
Ruchi
Re: Does multiple myeloma run in families?
Hi Rick,
I can only relate from personal experience, and talk about my partner. I think a distant member of Ian's family may have bad some sort of blood disorder. I've read a few studies that saythere is no clear link between family members, but there is a chance that as a dad or mum to pass it to the child (about 50%). They also mention chemicals and exposure. Ian had a garage and did work on cars, lots of exposure to dilutants and other such chemicals.
Joanna
I can only relate from personal experience, and talk about my partner. I think a distant member of Ian's family may have bad some sort of blood disorder. I've read a few studies that saythere is no clear link between family members, but there is a chance that as a dad or mum to pass it to the child (about 50%). They also mention chemicals and exposure. Ian had a garage and did work on cars, lots of exposure to dilutants and other such chemicals.
Joanna
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johanna - Name: Joanna
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Husband
- When were you/they diagnosed?: august 2012
- Age at diagnosis: 60
Re: Does multiple myeloma run in families?
I wrote an article for the Beacon several years back related to this topic, and the majority of the responses seemed to lean towards environmental causes. In my personal case, I think that's more likely given my exposure to a lot of things earlier in life. However, I don't think we can discount that there could be hereditary causes too, or at least that may increase the risk, given the number of families that have multiple instances of multiple myeloma.
One other consideration though with respect to it being hereditary is that in many cases family members are likely to be exposed to the same environment, so that could increase the probability that multiple members of a family might get multiple myeloma regardless of whether it may be hereditary.
One other consideration though with respect to it being hereditary is that in many cases family members are likely to be exposed to the same environment, so that could increase the probability that multiple members of a family might get multiple myeloma regardless of whether it may be hereditary.
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Kevin J - Name: Kevin J
- Who do you know with myeloma?: myself
- When were you/they diagnosed?: Jan 2011
- Age at diagnosis: 52
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