While many cases of myeloma don’t have a known cause, some conditions or characteristics increase the risk of developing this disease.

But remember that not everyone with one of these risk factors will develop myeloma, and not everyone who develops myeloma will have one of these risk factors.

• Age: Most myeloma patients range from 50 to 70 years in age, with very few cases occurring in people under 45.
• Gender: Myeloma is more common in men than women.
• Race: Myeloma is more frequently diagnosed in people of African American descent than in Caucasians.
• Lifestyle: The risk of myeloma is higher among the overweight or obese.
• Occupation: Working in petroleum-related industries and exposure to harsh chemicals can result in a higher risk of development.