African Americans are 2-3 times more likely to develop multiple myeloma compared to white individuals. In a recent Real World Data study by Ankit Kansagra, MD of UT Southwestern shared at the recent IMW conference, we learn that black and white patients are receiving similar front-line therapy, although black patients receive a later start to both their first line treatment and stem cell transplant.
The development of new therapies has exploded in multiple myeloma over the past decade. Making all myeloma treatments accessible to all patients is the goal, regardless of socioeconomic status, geography or race.
A total of 1790 myeloma patients with an active myeloma diagnosis after January 2015 in the COTA real-world database were evaluated. The study found the following:
These findings suggest that frontline treatment patterns were similar by race in contemporary real-world patients treated predominately in the academic setting. Future research will identify if similar treatment patterns are happening the local oncology clinics and if similar treatment patterns drive similar outcomes by race.
about the author
Jennifer Ahlstrom
Myeloma survivor, patient advocate, wife, mom of 6. Believer that patients can help accelerate a cure by weighing in and participating in clinical research. Founder of HealthTree Foundation (formerly Myeloma Crowd).
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