Abstract

Objective:

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a heterogeneous disease caused by genetic and environmental factors. The aim of this study is to determine whether the diagnosis of MM exhibits a seasonal pattern.

Materials and Methods:

Eighty patients new diagnosed with MM between January 2020 and July 2024 were included in the study. All data on gender, age and time of diagnosis were recorded retrospectively from the files of patients.

Results:

Eighty patients new diagnosed with MM were included in the study. 34 (42.5%) of them were female and 46 of them (57.5%) were male. The median age of the patients was 63 years (41-81). The month with the highest number of MM diagnoses was November, with 9 patients (11.3%), while the month with the fewest diagnoses was July, with 4 patients (5%). The season with the highest number of diagnoses was winter, with 22 patients (27.5%) diagnosed, followed by spring and autumn, each with 20 patients (25%). The fewest MM diagnoses occurred in the summer, with 18 patients (22.5%). When the patients were evaluated based on the season in which they were diagnosed, no significant difference was observed (p>0.05). Among the 80 patients, 44 were diagnosed between October and March, while 36 were diagnosed between April and September. The numbers of diagnose of new case was higher in the colder seasons.

Conclusion:

In our study, the diagnosis of MM does not appear to show seasonal variation. We observed that new cases with MM increased in the cold months, in particular, presenting to the clinic with infection findings it easier for patients are diagnosed MM.

Key words: Multiple myeloma, seasonal, single center