MULTIPLE-MYELOMA AMONG BLACKS AND WHITES IN THE UNITED-STATES - ROLE OF CIGARETTES AND ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES

In the United States, the incidence rates of multiple myeloma in Black s are more than twice those in Whites, but the etiology of this cancer is poorly understood. A population-based case-control interview study of 571 subjects (365 White, 206 Black) with multiple myeloma and 2,12 2 controls (1,155 White, 967 Black) living in three areas of the Unite d States (Georgia, Michigan, New Jersey) offered the opportunity to in vestigate the relationship with smoking and alcohol drinking and to ev aluate whether these factors might contribute to the excess risk of mu ltiple myeloma in Blacks. For Blacks and Whites of either gender, ther e were no significantly elevated risks associated with ever use of cig arettes or alcoholic beverages and no consistent patterns with either intensity or duration of use, These data support previous studies indi cating that smoking and drinking are not related causally to the risk of multiple myeloma, and thus cannot account for the racial disparity in incidence rates.