It is not known exactly what causes the plasma cells inside the bone marrow to become cancerous.
Studies have suggested that the factors listed below may increase your chance of developing multiple myeloma:
- having a close relative with the condition
- being obese (extremely overweight)
- having a diet that's low in fish and/or green vegetables
- having HIV or AIDS
- using hair dyes, or having a job that involves exposure to hair dyes
- working as a farmer
- working with meat
- working with sheet metals
- working in the petroleum industry
- working with radiation
- having a job that exposes you to wood dust
- having a condition where the immune system attacks healthy tissue, such as rheumatoid arthritis
It's unclear exactly how these risk factors may increase the risk of developing myeloma.
