Based on data from the American Cancer Society (as of Spring 2022), about 35,000 new cases of Multiple Myeloma (MM) will be diagnosed each year.
African Americans are at twice the risk of developing MM when compared to White Americans. And, African Americans, on average, are diagnosed around 66 years old, while the disease in White Americans shows up around age 70 (I was 61). Plus, the gender breakdown of those new cases is roughly 50/50. Right off the bat I don’t fit neatly into those various demographics . . . man did I get in the wrong line! But I do notice during my visits to the Clinic that I’m not the only one from outside of the statistically expected patient population.
Present company included, there are folks at the Clinic where I go for treatment who represent a wide variety of races - beyond the typical MM community. Objectively acknowledging that suburban New Jersey is a fairly diverse demographic core sampling of modern-day multi-racial America, there are no apparent contributing geographic factors or anomalies that would cause the skew that I view in any of the aforementioned information.
Further, one of the things that I am seeing is more younger folks with MM. As unofficial corroboration, I innocently do overhear some patients' dates-of-birth being given. Even without that knowledge, clearly they are waaaay less than 65 years old. Is this the result of better detection or better diagnostics or better awareness? Seeing as how most cases of MM (like mine) are determined basically by accident, there doesn't seem to be any discernible reason why I am observing victims who are leaning youthful.
And, I can't help but casually catalog that noticeably more women than men seem to be at the Clinic when I am there. That feels anecdotally in excess of the anticipated 50/50 split. There is really nothing about the disease or its contributing factors (nature's cruel trick; not life-style induced) that could cause an increase in one gender being represented over the other.
Whatever the reasons, here I am. Another data point on a chart. Defying the odds of identification AND crushing the odds of long-term survival. Gotta stick around long enough to be here for the cure. It’s coming!
