title: The skinny on obesity and plasma cell myeloma: a review of the literature.
abstract: Despite tremendous advances in treatments for myeloma in the past decade, the disease remains incurable in the majority of patients. Here, we review recent data demonstrating an association between obesity and increased risk of myeloma development. This may be due to the pro-inflammatory cytokine profile caused by obesity. Currently, there are no screening or prevention strategies for myeloma, but we propose that obesity-associated inflammatory pathways, or obesity itself, may be amenable to intervention, thereby preventing the transition from pre-malignancy to myeloma. In addition, we suggest that the morbidity, mortality and the significant costs associated with myeloma treatment could be reduced by addressing modifiable risk factors, and that research efforts should explore this novel hypothesis.
authors.affiliation: Division of Oncology, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA.
authors.forename: K R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Carson
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Critical Care Division and the John Rankin Laboratory of Pulmonary Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA.
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Bates
authors.affiliation: Division of Oncology, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA.
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Tomasson
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000378:metabolism; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism; D012307:Risk Factors