Existing studies, like the EPIC-Oxford cohort and Oxford Vegetarian study, have indicated that plant-based diets significantly lower multiple myeloma risk compared to meat-heavy diets. Conversely, the Nurses’ Health Study and Health Professionals Follow-up Study noted an increased MM risk linked to pro-inflammatory diets among men. To build on this sparse data, the NIH-AARP Diet and Health study, a large prospective cohort, examined the relationship between pre-diagnosis diets and MM incidence among over 392,000 participants, highlighting the potential protective role of healthful plant-based diets.

The NIH-AARP study uniquely quantified dietary patterns using indices like the Healthy Eating Index-2015 and the healthful Plant-based Diet Index, finding that higher adherence to plant-based diets was associated with a reduced MM risk. This large-scale epidemiologic analysis, the most extensive to date, supports the idea that dietary choices may significantly influence MM risk. The results underscore the necessity for oncologists to discuss dietary habits with their patients as part of a comprehensive care strategy.

Reference: Castro F, Parikh R, Eustaquio JC, et al. Pre-Diagnosis Dietary Patterns and Risk of Multiple Myeloma in the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study. medRxiv [Preprint]. 2023 Sep 23:2023.09.20.23295639. doi: 10.1101/2023.09.20.23295639. Update in: Leukemia. 2023 Dec 29;: PMID: 37790335; PMCID: PMC10543062.