African-Americans in Ohio have a significantly higher risk of developing multiple myeloma than white Ohio residents. This finding, based on data from 2001 to 2005, matches results seen in slightly older data for the entire United States.

Health statisticians use a cancer’s “incidence rate” to measure risk for the cancer within a population. The incidence rate for a specific cancer is the annual number of new cases of that cancer for each 100,000 members of the population.

The new Ohio data reveal that the incidence of multiple myeloma among African-American men is 2.1 times higher than for white men. Among all cancer types, this is the second largest difference in incidence rates between African-American and white men in Ohio.

The results are similar for Ohio women. The incidence of myeloma among African-American women is 2.3 times higher than for white women. This is the single largest difference in cancer incidence rates between African-American and white women in Ohio.

National data from a slightly earlier period – 2000 to 2003 – reveal racial disparities similar to those in Ohio. Nationally, the myeloma incidence rate is much higher for African-Americans than for white Americans. As in Ohio, the incidence rate differences for multiple myeloma are among the widest seen for any type of cancer.

The new Ohio data are from the American Cancer Society report, Ohio Cancer Facts & Figures 2008.

The report notes that there are many social and economic factors that can lead to cancer incidence rate disparities.  These include differences in income, employment, and insurance status. Likewise, African-Americans in Ohio have more behavioral risk factors for cancer, such as smoking, insufficient physical activity, and obesity.

It is unknown, the report states, whether these factors can account for the difference in myeloma incidence rates between African-Americans and white Americans.

Sources: The Ohio report is available here (PDF). National data are available in this report (PDF), also from the American Cancer Society. TV station WKYC has a useful summary of the Ohio data that is not, however, focused on multiple myeloma.