Multiple myeloma is the second most-common hematologic cancer, representing 1% of all cancer diagnoses and 2% of all cancer deaths. There are approximately 46,000 people in the United States living with multiple myeloma and an estimated 14,600 new cases of the disease are diagnosed each year.

Multiple myeloma affects slightly more men than women. African Americans have the highest reported incidence of this disease and Asians have the lowest.