Is sickling trait associated with an increased risk for multiple myeloma?

In the US, multiple myeloma (MM) rates have been disproportionately higher in states with high proportions of African Americans. Understanding this disparity may assist in developing new control/prevention strategies for MM. Most of the known associated risk factors for MM are occupational and/or environmental. A possible chromosomal link between sickle cell disease and leukemia, a hematologic malignancy like MM, has been described. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) has been reported to be central to the pathogenesis of MM, inducing proliferation and inhibiting apoptosis in neoplastic plasma cells. IL-6 levels are also increased in healthy sickle cell disease patients. This role of IL-6 in the pathophysiology of MM and sickle cell disease makes it pertinent to ask whether persons with abnormal sickling erythrocytes are more at risk of developing MM than persons with no abnormal sickling erythrocytes. Abrogating the IL-6 signaling pathway will be of therapeutic interest for both MM and sickle cell disease.