How I came down with MGUS is a subject of much controversy and confusion.
Genetic Causes?: I doubt it. My parents lived into their 80s and neither were diagnosed with any sort of blood cancer. My dad died from Dementia / Heart issues. My mom of stomach cancer -- which I believe was caused by unnecessary PPI drugs. There is no one in my larger family that had any sort of blood cancer. In fact the vast majority of my dad's family lived to their late 80s - even with diseases like diabetes.
Environment Causes: I don't know. I work in a court so every day for the last 15 years I have walked into a metal detector at work. But so have 200+ other people. I once helped my brother redo my mom's house but if I was exposed to anything it was probably over a 3 day period over 10 years ago. Recently they did find chemicals in my tap water but I have only lived here 5 years and since I work for about 12 hours a day the vast majority of my water has been taken in via Poland Springs (at work).
Aging: I think this is the most likely situation for me. This came on during menopause. I could see something happening on my blood tests. For over 30 years my WBCs were around 6.0. But in the fall of 2018 I got a test back that said they were at 5.5. Then in the summer of 2019, it was down to 5.2. Finally, in December of 2019 I got a terrible illness and it dropped to 3.4! But recovered to 4.5 in a few months. It now hovers around 4.5 to (occasionally) 6. My immune system has taken a hit. There is controversy about if MGUS causes the immune system to take a hit, but given the way it happened... 2 years of immune system changes followed by MGUS which appears to have just been starting when caught..... I think it was the immune system.
Sugar and being overweight. Probably. I am fortunate that I have been dieting since I was 30 years old. So over the 20 years I probably spent 10 years of the 20 not overweight. But since 2014 I have been largely stable and at a max weight. Though I am also fortunate that I got hip to low carb dieting in the year 2000 and made a lot of cuts.. (I cut out starches and pasta and rice and potato) I still was eating bread which turns out to be quite bad. The only established thing that can reduce risk of progression is weight reduction. But I have my doubts as I know many people who have progressed at a normal weight.
PUFAs? Probably. I was not aware of their danger until this year. I ate massive amounts of spread with Canola Oil. And now I find out that PUFAs can stay in your system for up to four years? Depressing. I have switched to butter and am doing my best to eliminate them and or have Steric Acid.
The sad truth is that I probably just will never know. My goal now has to be figuring out how to stop it.
