J Hematol Mult Myeloma | Volume 6, Issue 1 | Research Article | Open Access
Xiao R*, Wolgast LR, Bellin E and Mirhaj P
Department of Pathology, UMass Memorial Medical Center, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
Fulltext PDFMultiple myeloma is a cytogenetically heterogeneous clonal plasma cell neoplasm and almost always preceded by an asymptomatic premalignant stage termed Monoclonal Gammopathy of Undetermined Significance (MGUS). It has been recognized that numerous environmental factors and genetic events appear to trigger the progression of multiple myeloma. This is a cohort-based study that uses combination of structured clinical information from Montefiore medical records and Natural Language Processing (NLP) of all clinical notes associated with the patients. We investigated multiple myeloma and its potential association with military services, and tox-in exposures (such as agent orange, pesticides) in patients admitted to Montefiore Medical Center during the past five years. Our study showed a statistically significance (p<0.0001) in developing MM in patients with histories of military service and toxin exposure compared to the control group. The NLP query showed very low percentage of military service records in the patients with MM diagnosis in Montefiore medical records. Further study should set up standard criteria of military service by using Bronx Regional Health Information Organization (RHIO) base evidence. For the Veterans who had potential toxin exposures, perhaps it would be a good idea to consider routine clinic visits and screening testing such as serum electrophoresis and immunofixation for early detection of MGUS and MM.
Myeloma; Health information organization; Immunoglobulin
Xiao R, Wolgast LR, Bellin E, Mirhaj P. Military Toxin Exposure and Multiple Myeloma: A Cohort Study Through Natural Lan-Guage Processing Queries. J Hematol Mult Myeloma. 2024; 6(1): 1029..