Hi All!
I posted previously about my mom who is undergoing radiation for a solitary plasmacytoma on her T7 vertebrae. We are watching her values for signs of multiple myeloma but so far she doesn't have any diagnosing factors for that.
My question is, how common is it to have this disease in families? Should I be worried? Would it be worth getting any preventative testing? My routine blood work always comes back normal except for a high BUN (which we assume is due to my high-protein diet and my terrible water consumption). I'm very healthy but seem to mimic my mom in all areas medically!
Any thoughts?
Thanks!
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9 posts
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melissaanne - Name: Melissa
- Who do you know with myeloma?: My Mother
- When were you/they diagnosed?: September 2015
- Age at diagnosis: 49
Re: Is multiple myeloma hereditary?
Hello, Mellissanne:
Speaking from memory, it is not common to have a second near relative to get multiple myeloma, however, there is a mild relationship based on heredity. So it's rare to get multiple myeloma, and a little less rare if you have a close family member diagnosed, but still rare.
Trying to recall rough numbers, for the people over 30, something like one in 10,000 will be diagnosed with multiple myeloma in a year in the US. Your probability based on a parent having it is I think double that, 2 in 10,000.
No great need to worry based on those numbers, but would not hurt to get the SPEP once every 3 to 5 years. And when you do, keep in mind that as you get older, MGUS comes on. I believe the statistic is that for the age 70 and above population, more than 50% of the population has MGUS, most of them don't know it.
Good luck.
Speaking from memory, it is not common to have a second near relative to get multiple myeloma, however, there is a mild relationship based on heredity. So it's rare to get multiple myeloma, and a little less rare if you have a close family member diagnosed, but still rare.
Trying to recall rough numbers, for the people over 30, something like one in 10,000 will be diagnosed with multiple myeloma in a year in the US. Your probability based on a parent having it is I think double that, 2 in 10,000.
No great need to worry based on those numbers, but would not hurt to get the SPEP once every 3 to 5 years. And when you do, keep in mind that as you get older, MGUS comes on. I believe the statistic is that for the age 70 and above population, more than 50% of the population has MGUS, most of them don't know it.
Good luck.
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JPC - Name: JPC
Re: Is multiple myeloma hereditary?
Thanks, JPC!
I know my odds are still very slim that I (or any of my siblings) will get multiple myeloma. However, I like to stay on top of my health and just want to be sure!
I appreciate you putting it into perspective. I have heard that multiple myeloma is not "hereditary," but there are cases of famiial multiple myeloma. So, of course I was a bit concerned.
Thank you for your feedback!
I know my odds are still very slim that I (or any of my siblings) will get multiple myeloma. However, I like to stay on top of my health and just want to be sure!
I appreciate you putting it into perspective. I have heard that multiple myeloma is not "hereditary," but there are cases of famiial multiple myeloma. So, of course I was a bit concerned.
Thank you for your feedback!
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melissaanne - Name: Melissa
- Who do you know with myeloma?: My Mother
- When were you/they diagnosed?: September 2015
- Age at diagnosis: 49
Re: Is multiple myeloma hereditary?
For those people who've had more than one blood family member diagnosed with myeloma, were the types of myeloma the same for both family members (IgA for example)?
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Little Monkey - Name: Little Monkey
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Father-stage 1 multiple myeloma
- When were you/they diagnosed?: March/April of 2015
Re: Is multiple myeloma hereditary?
My father was diagnosed with IgG kappa light chain MGUS in 2007. It was detected with his blood work for a yearly checkup. I was diagnosed with IgG kappa light chain multiple myeloma in 2012. I have never had an M-spike since my journey began with a sore shoulder. Dad never had any problems with his MGUS. I underwent tandem stem cell transplants in 2012. I have two sisters who show no sign of multiple myeloma. But both were tested in case of stem cell transplant and one sister is a 10/10 match for me.
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Music box lady - Name: Margie
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Me
- When were you/they diagnosed?: 2012
- Age at diagnosis: 60
Re: Is multiple myeloma hereditary?
Thanks Music Box Lady.
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Little Monkey - Name: Little Monkey
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Father-stage 1 multiple myeloma
- When were you/they diagnosed?: March/April of 2015
Re: Is multiple myeloma hereditary?
Music box lady,
Just curious, were your tandem transplants both autologous, or did you have an autologous transplant followed by an allogeneic (donor) transplant?
The reason I ask is you indicted that you had a sister who was a 10/10 match.
Just curious, were your tandem transplants both autologous, or did you have an autologous transplant followed by an allogeneic (donor) transplant?
The reason I ask is you indicted that you had a sister who was a 10/10 match.
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Ron Harvot - Name: Ron Harvot
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Myself
- When were you/they diagnosed?: Feb 2009
- Age at diagnosis: 56
Re: Is multiple myeloma hereditary?
I think multiple myeloma might be hereditary. My mother was diagnosed with a solitary plasmacytoma in 2011. Her brother got diagnosed with advanced multiple myeloma in 2013 and her sister got diagnosed with MGUS IN 2015. My maternal grandparents, however, did not have it.
Re: Is multiple myeloma hereditary?
Ron, both my transplants were autologous. 100 days apart. When I relapsed in August 2014, my myeloma specialist wanted to test my sisters at that point if a future transplant was needed and at that point my insurance would cover it. Thankfully I am responding well to Revlimid and dex and hopefully I won't have to think about a transplant again. Of course, my sister freaked out over the results, thinking she could get a diagnosis of multiple myeloma, since our DNA is similar.
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Music box lady - Name: Margie
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Me
- When were you/they diagnosed?: 2012
- Age at diagnosis: 60
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