monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) also have a greater risk of developing these cancers
Dear Cancer Coach- I have had squamous cell carcinoma (non-melanoma skin cancers) for the past 18 years. The number of out breaks for cancer spots has taken a dramatic jump in the last year. Overall I’ve had over 15
Mohs surgeries, 5 in the last 5 months, a significant increase. My doctor feels there may be a correlation between the increase in the number of cancers and my diagnosis of MGUS last year.
Can MGUS cause more cancers or can more squamous cell carcinomas cause an increase of MGUS to MM?
Thanks for any thoughts, William
Hi William,
What is your m-spike? Any symptoms such as nerve or bone pain?
To answer your question “Can MGUS cause more cancers…” the answer is yes, MM and monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance increase the incidence of several different types of cancer as well as for non-melanoma skin cancer (both basal cell and squamous cell).
Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance and MM both cause the patient to be immunocompromised. My guess is that if you are already prone to non-melanoma skin cancers then your MGUS sped up the process.
As for your other question “can more squamous cell carcinomas cause an increase of MGUS to MM,” I don’t know. I can’t find any studies about this and I know of no discussion with any of my previous MM CC clients that talk about this issue. I can’t think of any reason why non-melanoma skin cancer would affect increases in blood cancers but I can’t support my thinking with research.
The issue is why and what can you do about your increased risks. Research shows that a person can reduce his/her risk of both full-blown MM from pre-myeloma (monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance and SMM) and a person can reduce the risk of non-melanoma skin cancer- more NMSC or melanoma from NMSC.
Sorry for the sales pitch but the Pre-Myeloma Cancer Coaching Program is linked to the right of this page. As for reducing your risk of NMSC, you will have to email me directly for evidence-based therapies such as nutrition, supplementation and lifestyle therapies.
Hang in there,
David Emerson
- Myeloma Survivor
- Cancer Coach
- Director PeopleBeatingCancer
Recommended Reading:
“Results of a large analysis conducted in Sweden show that multiple myeloma patients are more likely than the general population to develop certain cancers, including acute myeloid leukemia, myelodysplastic syndromes, and non-melanoma skin cancer.
Furthermore, the researchers found that patients with the myeloma precursor disease monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) also have a greater risk of developing these cancers than the general population…
Compared to the general population, MGUS patients had an 8.01-fold increased risk of developing acute myeloid leukemia or myelodysplastic syndromes. None of the patients who developed either of these two diseases, however, later developed multiple myeloma.
The researchers found that MGUS patients who had a monoclonal (M) protein level greater than 1.5 g/dL had a higher risk of developing either of these two cancers than patients with an M protein level less than 1.5 g/dL.
Additionally, they found that only MGUS patients whose blood contained the M protein IgG or IgA, but not IgM, developed either of these two cancers.
MGUS patients also had a 1.56-fold increased risk of developing a non-blood-related cancer compared to the general population, most commonly non-melanoma skin, endocrine, and breast cancer…”
