Disparities in Multiple Myeloma Mortality Rate Trends by Demographic Status in the USA

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a hematological malignancy that arises when plasma cells undergo malignant monoclonal proliferation. This study aimed to assess the demographic disparities and temporal trends in the mortality rates of this disease.

We employed the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's Wide-ranging ONline Data for Epidemiologic Research (CDC WONDER) database.

We found that for the overall U.S. population, the age-adjusted mortality rate per 1,000,000 (AAMR) decreased from 1999 to 2020. However, rates differed between demographic groups. In addition, we sought to find a significant average annual percent change (AAPC) in mortality rate from 1999 to 2020 for various demographic populations and compared groups to find disparities in mortality rate trend. In 2020, the AAMR due to MM was 38.0 and for women 24.1. The AAPC in AAMR from 1999 to 2020 in men was -1.0% (95%CI=-1.3 to -0.7) and in women was -1.6% (95%CI=-1.6 to -2.3). A significant difference in trend by sex was found, where women had a higher rate of decline. In 2020, the AAMR for the American Indian or Alaska Native (AI/AN) population was 15.0, the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) had 14.8, the Black and African American population had an AAMR of 55.6 and the White population had an AAMR of 28.1. The AAPC for the AI/AN population was -2.2% (95%CI=-3.5 to -0.9), for the AAPI population it was -0.9% (95%CI=-1.5 to -0.4), the Black and African American population had -1.5% (95%CI=-2.2 to -0.8) and the AAPC for the White population was -1.1% (95%CI=-1.6 to -0.6). A significant difference in trend of decline was found between the AAPI and Black and African American populations and between the AI/AN and Black and African American populations. When assessing the U.S. by states, the mid-southeast U.S. had the greatest density of the states with high AAMRs.

These findings suggest which populations are at increased risk for mortality due to multiple myeloma and where we should apply additional resources and research.