Hi Sarah,
I'm a farmer too, so when first diagnosed I poured over the research data.
From what I found, the "pesticide" link was largely due to a study in Germany on workers who worked in an herbicide production factory. (Hardly comparable to the lower amount of pesticides a farmer would be exposed to.). Also, I found a few studies that showed a higher incidence in farmers who had livestock over farmers who had crops, so to me, that lowers the chances that it is due to exposure to pesticides.
And when you see that more people in the delta have multiple myeloma, it could easily be due to higher population of African Americans (they have double the rate of whites and 3-4 times the rate of Asians). Also, obesity is a known risk too. And studies have shown that obesity is a bigger issue in the south than elsewhere.
From what I remember, the known risks are age, race, gender, obesity and exposure to radiation, i.e, Chernobyl and Hiroshima. The other risks that some websites quote are not accepted by many in the multiple myeloma community. And if they are a cause for increased risk, the increase is small.
Just my two-layperson-cents!
Regards, Stan
Forums
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Stann - Name: Stann
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Myself
- When were you/they diagnosed?: 9/11/09
- Age at diagnosis: 46
Re: What causes multiple myeloma?
I have seen multiple mentions in another forum thread ("Hypothetical causes of multiple myeloma?") about benzene as a possible source of multiple myeloma. I was an apprentice painter 60 years ago and exposed to benzene daily for a year and a half. All of us painters had burns on our butts from a benzene-soaked rag we kept in our back pocket for quick cleanups. As the apprentice I got to paint a lot of closets, and because closets don't really get dirty, the paint was thinned to about 50% benzene. By the third closet I was drunk, and not in any pleasant way! I sometimes had to clean paint pots soaking in a vat of benzene. And at the end of each work day, we all half-filled the basin with hot water, added benzene, and soaped up and scrubbed up!
But that was 60 years before my diagnosis, which seems like a long time for that exposure to have been the cause, so I cataloged other possibilities. Three of four grandparents died of cancer, pancreatic, liver and one I don't know; two of the three were alcoholics. I drank alcoholically for over 30 years, mostly red wine, and have been sober 30 years I drank a lot of coffee. I smoked cigarettes for about 30 years, and quit some 35 years ago.
Maybe if a lot of us took a look at our past possible exposures and cataloged them we might start to see patterns that could be the basis for future study. And while the past cannot be undone, I always think it's good to know how we got where we are now.
But that was 60 years before my diagnosis, which seems like a long time for that exposure to have been the cause, so I cataloged other possibilities. Three of four grandparents died of cancer, pancreatic, liver and one I don't know; two of the three were alcoholics. I drank alcoholically for over 30 years, mostly red wine, and have been sober 30 years I drank a lot of coffee. I smoked cigarettes for about 30 years, and quit some 35 years ago.
Maybe if a lot of us took a look at our past possible exposures and cataloged them we might start to see patterns that could be the basis for future study. And while the past cannot be undone, I always think it's good to know how we got where we are now.
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albertlannon - Name: Albert Lannon
- Who do you know with myeloma?: self
- When were you/they diagnosed?: June, 2017
- Age at diagnosis: 79
Re: What causes multiple myeloma?
I’ve been reading this topic on causes of multiple myeloma and realizing that I had zero exposure to any of those factors. I’ve been a city boy and then lived in mid-size (1-5M) cities having computer-related jobs. I never smoked, drank socially (more when young under 30). I’ve never been close to a radiation site in Japan, Ukraine, etc. I’ve been very active athletically. As a matter of fact, the multiple myeloma diagnosis came on the heals of a major international age-based competition, where I did pretty well. And yet, multiple myeloma got me! Perhaps it explains the rare presentation. Out of all key markers, only IgG was high beyond the max, plus the level of ammonia was 10X max and started affecting my brain. With the ammonia level back in check now, the brain is sharp again, but IgG remains.
Re: What causes multiple myeloma?
I have looked through some medical records of my mother and she was taking like a dozen different drugs at the same time and about two years after taking these drugs, there were beginning signs of multiple myeloma: creatinine higher, GFR lower, hypertension, and anemia. The medications she was taking included:
Kenalog (triamcinolone acetonide)
Lidex (fluocinonide)
lovastatin (Mevacor)
Lisinopril-hydrochlorothiazide (Zestoretic)
Hydrochlorothiazide (HCT / HCTZ)
Kenalog (triamcinolone acetonide) injections
Chlorothiazide (Diuril)
I am particularly suspicious about the last one, chlorothiazide, because its side effects are
hypokalemia (deficiency of potassium in blood) and hyperglycemia (excess of sugar in blood). It's messing around with blood balances and that means to me it could also affect the bone marrow. And taken in combination with all the other drugs she was taking including Anacin (aspirin + caffeine), ibuprofen, Tylenol (acetaminophen / paracetamol), aspirin, and Aleve (naproxen), who knows what affect these drugs have on your system. It's worse enough if you have to take one drug but taking so many different ones must have some kind of accumulative effect, especially after taking them for a long period of time.
Kenalog (triamcinolone acetonide)
Lidex (fluocinonide)
lovastatin (Mevacor)
Lisinopril-hydrochlorothiazide (Zestoretic)
Hydrochlorothiazide (HCT / HCTZ)
Kenalog (triamcinolone acetonide) injections
Chlorothiazide (Diuril)
I am particularly suspicious about the last one, chlorothiazide, because its side effects are
hypokalemia (deficiency of potassium in blood) and hyperglycemia (excess of sugar in blood). It's messing around with blood balances and that means to me it could also affect the bone marrow. And taken in combination with all the other drugs she was taking including Anacin (aspirin + caffeine), ibuprofen, Tylenol (acetaminophen / paracetamol), aspirin, and Aleve (naproxen), who knows what affect these drugs have on your system. It's worse enough if you have to take one drug but taking so many different ones must have some kind of accumulative effect, especially after taking them for a long period of time.
Re: What causes multiple myeloma?
Do people and doctors agree that it is possible that multiple myeloma could be caused by something that happened years ago. For example, people exposed to asbestos, like actor Steve Mcqueen, developed cancer from it many years later. I think that being exposed to something many years ago is a good possibility with multiple myeloma.
Then the next question is can people who have it think about what toxic thing they may have been exposed to many years ago.
I know my mother was exposed to the medications I listed in my last post. She was also exposed to a very toxic substance she accidentally swallowed back in the 1990s which actually burned her mouth it was so toxic.
Then the next question is can people who have it think about what toxic thing they may have been exposed to many years ago.
I know my mother was exposed to the medications I listed in my last post. She was also exposed to a very toxic substance she accidentally swallowed back in the 1990s which actually burned her mouth it was so toxic.
Re: What causes multiple myeloma?
I'm not sure what may have caused my myeloma and will probably never know. However, for a cancer that is supposedly relatively rare, I know that of at least 4 of my colleagues who worked at the same community college also have the disease. One long-term survivor and the other 4 (including me) diagnosed in the last 2-5 years. None of us meet the demographic of being an African American male over 65, which is supposedly one of the populations most likely to get myeloma.
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GoDucks - Name: GoDucks
- Who do you know with myeloma?: me
- When were you/they diagnosed?: March, 2017
- Age at diagnosis: 61
Re: What causes multiple myeloma?
Well, then this is an opportunity to find out the common denominators that might have caused the myeloma.
Re: What causes multiple myeloma?
GoDucks wrote:
I question the rarity thing as well. When I told my aunt I had it, she told me she had 2 neighbors that had it. I have a neighbor that has it. I've heard about countless others that have it!
I'm not sure what may have caused my myeloma and will probably never know. However, for a cancer that is supposedly relatively rare, I know that of at least 4 of my colleagues who worked at the same community college also have the disease.
I question the rarity thing as well. When I told my aunt I had it, she told me she had 2 neighbors that had it. I have a neighbor that has it. I've heard about countless others that have it!
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Mank - Name: Mank
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Myself
- When were you/they diagnosed?: February 2017
- Age at diagnosis: 56
Re: What causes multiple myeloma?
Unfortunately there has never been a smoking gun that definitively links multiple myeloma to any environmental or viral cause. With respect to Agent Orange, there has been some suspicion, but the links are tentative at best. The Vietnamese population was exposed much more heavily than our troops, and their incidence of multiple myeloma does not show any direct relationship.
The problem with any environmental exposure to chemical or biological agents is that every person's reaction is not the same. In some, the exposure may trigger an immune response that may cause an overproduction of light chains that most people will not experience. The same may be true to an exposure to a virus or bacterial infection.
Thus, it most likely falls back on an individual's genetic make up. Something in their / our genes caused us to react to something. What that something was / is may be different for each individual and most likely is different. Thus, I may have reacted to something I came into contact with years ago that may have lead to a mutation that was dormant until later in life. Most others that came into contact with that agent never had a reaction. The mutation probably laid dormant until later in life. Most of us are not diagnosed with multiple myeloma until we are in our late 50s or older.
The problem with any environmental exposure to chemical or biological agents is that every person's reaction is not the same. In some, the exposure may trigger an immune response that may cause an overproduction of light chains that most people will not experience. The same may be true to an exposure to a virus or bacterial infection.
Thus, it most likely falls back on an individual's genetic make up. Something in their / our genes caused us to react to something. What that something was / is may be different for each individual and most likely is different. Thus, I may have reacted to something I came into contact with years ago that may have lead to a mutation that was dormant until later in life. Most others that came into contact with that agent never had a reaction. The mutation probably laid dormant until later in life. Most of us are not diagnosed with multiple myeloma until we are in our late 50s or older.
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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: What causes multiple myeloma?
This is an very interesting discussion to me, since my father died of multiple myeloma in 1969 at age 50. He was diagnosed at 47. We always thought his disease was a fluke, however, with my diagnosis 4 1/2 years ago at age 59, I believe there is a genetic component to it, at least in my case.
My Dad was stationed in Australia during WWll. In addition to contracting malaria, he also may have been exposed to DDT, as during that time it was in use, and they used to spray it liberally in tropical places where there were mosquitoes spreading malaria. My Dad developed multiple myeloma approximately 20 years after he would have been exposed to the DDT, which would have been the right time frame. This is what we thought happened. Perhaps the DDT resulted in a genetic mutation which he passed to me? I guess we will never know.
Shortly after my diagnosis, I tried to get his medical records, but was unable to do so. I wanted to see if he had the same type of myeloma I have, (IgA kappa light chain), but perhaps so long ago, they did not even make those determinations. At the time of his illness, the doctors were thrilled that he lived three years. They originally gave him only 6 months. I think he was treated with high doses of steroids and perhaps melphalan, but I am not sure. He also had radiation and cobalt treatments toward the end of his life. Very primitive treatments compared to today.
My Dad was stationed in Australia during WWll. In addition to contracting malaria, he also may have been exposed to DDT, as during that time it was in use, and they used to spray it liberally in tropical places where there were mosquitoes spreading malaria. My Dad developed multiple myeloma approximately 20 years after he would have been exposed to the DDT, which would have been the right time frame. This is what we thought happened. Perhaps the DDT resulted in a genetic mutation which he passed to me? I guess we will never know.
Shortly after my diagnosis, I tried to get his medical records, but was unable to do so. I wanted to see if he had the same type of myeloma I have, (IgA kappa light chain), but perhaps so long ago, they did not even make those determinations. At the time of his illness, the doctors were thrilled that he lived three years. They originally gave him only 6 months. I think he was treated with high doses of steroids and perhaps melphalan, but I am not sure. He also had radiation and cobalt treatments toward the end of his life. Very primitive treatments compared to today.
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