Familial myeloma

Abstract

The authors summarize the data of the 15 incidences of familial myelomatosis reported so far in the literature, and add their own case of a mother and son, and discuss hereto the general relevances. It is noted, that the average of patients in the total of 16 cases was rather elevated and the incidence in males and females practically equal. The role of genetic and environmental factors is dealt with, and attention is drawn to the importance of keeping the families of patients suffering from myelomatosis (or Waldenstrom's disease) under prolonged observation as the only means of discovering (and treating) manifest myeloma or 'benign' M component in the asymptomatic stage.