OBJECTIVES: Previous research suggests differences in disease biology and characteristics between White and Black patients with multiple myeloma (MM) exist, with higher incidence rates in Black patients. Racial disparities in access to novel therapies and stem cell transplantation have also been documented, yet Black patients are vastly underrepresented in clinical trials (CTs). Real-world data may be an appropriate source of evidence to fill gaps on outcomes from CTs. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate real-world data sources used for equity-informed evaluations of MM treatments. The secondary objective was to determine feasibility to study disparities using local tumor registry data.

METHODS: We identified real-world datasets (RWD) from published MM studies that contained race and ethnicity information and other socio-demographic data. In parallel, we identified individuals in the University of Maryland Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center (UMGCCC) registry who were newly diagnosed with MM between 2018 and 2021. We used descriptive statistics to characterize the UMGCCC cohort.

RESULTS: Among RWD studies including MM patients, Black patients constituted: 18.9%-42.3% of single institutions, 15.0%-20.9% of SEER-Medicare cohorts, 12.7%-21.4% of population-based cohorts such as the National Cancer Database, and 14.7%-28.2% of insurance claims cohorts, versus a median of 4.5% of patients in CTs. Place of residence identifiers were often available in studies using single institution data, SEER-Medicare and population-based databases, and allowed for linkage to area-level socio-demographics or indicators. The UMGCCC cohort included a higher proportion of Black patients (44%), with information on marital status and ZIP code, representing 22 out of 24 Maryland counties.

CONCLUSIONS: Across various types of RWD, we found double-digit proportions of Black patients and most included at least one geographic identifier to facilitate data linkages. Combining diverse data sources to leverage their distinctive strengths emerges as a vital element for conducting equity-informed studies in multiple myeloma and the broader field of oncology.