Higher Tumor Burden Seen for Male Patients With Newly Diagnosed Multiple Myeloma

MONDAY, Jan. 12, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Male patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (MM) seem to have a higher tumor burden than female patients, with higher odds of having high serum monoclonal protein, κ light chain disease, and more end-organ damage, according to a study published online Jan. 12 in Cancer.

Krystle L. Ong, Ph.D., from the Heersink School of Medicine at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and colleagues examined the association of sex with the prevalence of clinical features and chromosomal abnormalities among 850 patients with newly diagnosed MM. Risk estimates were calculated using prevalence odds ratios.

The researchers found that after adjustment for race, age, body mass index, education, income, smoking, and alcohol use, male patients with newly diagnosed MM were more likely than female patients to have International Staging System stage III disease, high serum monoclonal protein (≥3 g/dL), and κ light chain disease (odds ratios, 2.05, 1.72, and 1.60, respectively), as well as more end-organ damage (odds ratio, 1.24), including impaired renal function and lytic lesions (odds ratios, 1.71 and 1.97, respectively). Male patients were also less likely to have osteopenia and light chain-only disease (odds ratios, 0.59 and 0.63, respectively). Significant interactions were observed for age on the association of male sex with the prevalence of involved to uninvolved free light chain ratio ≥100 and any copy number abnormality.

“This research suggests that sex-specific mechanisms promote multiple myeloma pathogenesis, which may account for the excess risk seen in men,” Ong said in a statement.

Abstract/Full Text