No single factor has been consistently associated with multiple myeloma. Although several things appear capable of causing or triggering myeloma, all of the details are not known. Things associated with an increased risk of myeloma and related diseases are toxic chemicals (for example, agricultural chemicals and Agent Orange used in Vietnam), radiation (including atomic radiation), and several viruses including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis viruses, human herpes virus 8 (HHV-8), and others. There is not a strong family tendency for myeloma; a few families do, however, have an increased predisposition to the disease.
This information was taken from the 2007 IMF Patient Handbook, part of the free IMF Info Pack. To order your copy, click here. If you have questions about the information on this page, or about any aspect of myeloma, call the IMF Hotline at (800) 452-CURE.
