Background: Multiple Myeloma (MM) counts the most common hematologic malignance among African-Americans with twice the incidence of whites. The outcomes have greatly improved during the last 15 years, however with changing demographics there is an increasing focus on how various subgroups, based on race and ethnicity may be benefiting from survival improvement in MM. Previous studies showed that if access to care is assured, racial disparity-driven differences in outcome may be mitigated. Here, we conducted a study using the National Cancer Data Base (NCDB), which covers more than 70% of cancer pts in the USA, to evaluate survival patterns by race. Methods: MM patients (pts) diagnosed between years 2005 and 2014 and reported to the NCDB were analyzed (n = 117926). Pts were divided in three groups based on the year (y) of diagnosis (2005-07, 2008-10 and 2011-14). Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test were used for overall survival analysis (OS). The effect size, hazard ratio (HR), of race on OS was estimated by Cox model adjusted by confounders. Results: Median age at diagnosis was 67 y (19 - 90); 55% were males. Median follow up was 30 months (m) (0 - 145). Median OS for white and black pts was 46 m (95% CI: 45.4 - 46.6) and 50.6 m (95% CI: 49.1 - 52.3), respectively (p < 0.0001). Black had longer OS compared to white pts by univariable analysis in all three study periods, noticeably with a trend toward higher survival benefit in most recent years. After adjusting for a variety of factors there was no statistically significant difference between the two racial groups (Table). Conclusions: This large study confirmed that after adjusting for confounding factors survival is similar for white and black MM pts.

^£Adjusted for age, gender, tumor (primary vs. secondary), Charlson comorbidity score, regional income and type of hospital (academic vs. others).