Objective:

To evaluate specific outcomes, patient symptoms, and healthcare utilization in multiple myeloma (MM) patients with or without a prior history of precursor plasma cell disorders (PCD).

Key Findings:

• pPCD patients had a median time from precursor diagnosis to MM diagnosis of 6.3 years for MGUS, 3.0 years for SMM, and 2.1 years for solitary plasmacytoma, all statistically significant.
• pPCD patients experienced significantly shorter time from symptom onset to MM diagnosis compared to nPCD patients (4.5 vs 7.6 months, p < 0.001).
• Lower rates of hypercalcemia (6% vs 13%, p < 0.05), renal insufficiency (11% vs 23%, p < 0.05), anemia (35% vs 65%, p < 0.05), and osteolytic lesions (45% vs 59%, p < 0.05) were observed in pPCD patients.
• pPCD patients reported less bone pain (41% vs 58%, p < 0.05) and had fewer hospitalizations (35% vs 57%, p < 0.05) prior to MM diagnosis.
• Prior PCD diagnosis was associated with a 71% reduction in the odds of presenting with clinically significant myeloma-defining events at MM diagnosis (OR 0.29, 95% CI 0.18–0.47, p < 0.001).

Interpretation:

Structured clinical follow-up in patients with precursor plasma cell disorders may facilitate earlier detection of multiple myeloma and reduce associated complications, emphasizing the need for proactive monitoring.

Limitations:

• Retrospective design may introduce bias, potentially affecting the reliability of the findings.
• Data may not capture all patient-centered outcomes, limiting the comprehensiveness of the study.

Conclusion:

Patients with a history of precursor plasma cell disorders experience fewer complications and earlier diagnosis of multiple myeloma, underscoring the critical role of clinical monitoring in improving patient outcomes.