The epidemiology of multiple myeloma in Australia

Multiple Myeloma (MM) is a B-cell malignancy morphologically characterized by a monoclonal proliferation of plasma cells in the bone marrow. The causes of MM are poorly understood and its prognosis is poor. Our over arching research question is 'are there lifestyle-related (potentially modifiable) factors associated with MM risk?' In Australia the lifestyle exposures that are potentially modifiable, and sufficiently prevalent to make a measurable difference if changed, include body size and obesity, diet and nutrition (including alcoholic beverages) and sun exposure. Another issue that requires further resolution is exposure to pesticides. This is a population-based family-case-control study of MM, collecting valid, reliable estimates of lifetime personal exposure to selected risk factors and sampling blood for genotyping and future biomarker studies. We will examine associations between lifestyle exposures, common genetic variants and MM risk, collect and validate case pedigrees including cancer history, to perform risk prediction modeling and to identify MM families for gene-discovery projects.

Project team

Professor Claire Vajdic
Medicine & Health
Dr Marina Van Leeuwen
Medicine & Health

Project collaborators: External

Professor Graham Giles
Cancer Council Victoria and University of Melbourne
Professor Miles Prince
Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre
Professor Douglas Joshua
Royal Prince Alfred Hospital
Dr Geza Benke
Monash University
Associate Professor Simon Harrison
Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre

Key contact

Medicine & Health
02 9385 1424
claire.vajdic@unsw.edu.au