The impact of multiple myeloma
Over 30,000 Americans are diagnosed with multiple myeloma each year—and the number is growing.
It can feel overwhelming at diagnosis, and the financial and logistical burden can become stressful.
People with multiple myeloma can face challenges with their care including:
DELAYS IN DIAGNOSIS
FINANCIAL BURDENS
GETTING TO APPOINTMENTS
Multiple myeloma doesn’t affect all communities equally
Living with multiple myeloma can be challenging for anyone. But some communities face even greater barriers to diagnosis, treatment, and support.
Impact on rural communities
If you live in a rural community, you may face unique challenges. You may be less likely to have health insurance that covers treatment. Even with insurance, care may still be hard to afford.
You may need to drive long distances to reach specialists and treatment centers—adding time, cost, and stress to your care. Without nearby specialists and resources, you might not learn that you have the disease until it is more advanced.
Impact on Black communities
If you’re a Black American, you are more likely to be diagnosed with multiple myeloma than many other groups in the US. About 1 in 5 people diagnosed with multiple myeloma in the United States are Black.
But Black Americans often face barriers to accessing high-quality treatment and support. The inequities in healthcare mean you may not get the same access to care as others.
MGUS (pronounced “em guss”) is short for monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance. Now, that’s a mouthful, so most doctors just say MGUS for short. MGUS is a condition in which an abnormal protein (called monoclonal protein or M-protein) is in your blood. Black Americans are more likely to develop MGUS and do so at a younger age.
MGUS isn’t cancer, and it’s not a dangerous condition, but it can progress to active multiple myeloma. This may be one of the reasons that myeloma is so much more common in the Black community.
Impact on Hispanic communities
If you’re a Hispanic American, you may develop multiple myeloma about 5 years earlier than non-Hispanic White Americans. A lack of access to high-quality healthcare or education may lead to delays in diagnosis. If you experience language barriers, you may feel that your concerns are not being fully heard by your doctor.
Together, these barriers may lead to later diagnosis when the disease is more advanced.
To help close these gaps, we surveyed over 1,000 people
affected by multiple myeloma to better understand what living with this disease is like—daily challenges, support needs, and what matters most—so we can help improve care.
