Abstract

Objectives: The incidence and severity of multiple myeloma (MM) differ among ethnic groups. The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence, demographics, clinical presentation and outcome of multiple myeloma (MM) in Bermuda.

Methods: The study involved a review of patients diagnosed with haematological malignancy including MM using hospital records retrieved from Bermuda Hospital Board database, between January, 2010 and December, 2014. Demographic, clinical and laboratory data on patients with MM were collected and analysed.

Results: Haematological malignancy accounted for 7% (144/2009) of all cancers and MM accounted for 23% (33/144) of all hematologic malignancies with an incidence of 10.2/100,000 population per year (based on Bermuda population of 64,237 in 2010). The male: female ratio was 1:2.3 with a mean age at diagnosis of 68 years. The common clinical presentations at the time of diagnosis were anaemia (26/33, 78.8%), followed by bone pain involving the lower back and hip (15/33, 45.5%), hypercalcaemia (14/33, 42.4%), neoplastic systemic symptoms (13/33, 39%) and renal insufficiency (12/33, 36.4%). The majority of patients (23/33, 69.7%) were diagnosed at stages 2 and 3 of the disease and 91.3% (21/23) of these patients were from Black ethnic groups. All patients (15/15, 100%) with adverse genetic factors were Black and the majority (10/15, 66.6%) were female.

Conclusion: The incidence of MM in Bermuda is higher than that reported from the United Kingdom and the United States and the condition is more common in women. The age at diagnosis and clinical presentation and prognosis of MM in Bermuda are comparable with reports from the Western world. Further studies to address the survival of patients with MM in Bermuda receiving different treatment options should be considered.

Keywords: Multiple myeloma; Demographic; Outcome; Bermuda