Burden of Disease, Treatment Patterns, and Healthcare Resource Utilization in Multiple Myeloma in the Middle East and North Africa Region: A Targeted Literature Review

Globally, the multiple myeloma (MM) landscape varies widely, with incidence, treatment patterns, outcomes, and healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) differing across countries and regions. Many factors contribute to these differences, including ethnicity, awareness, and socioeconomic influences. This is the first analysis aiming to explore factors associated with myeloma incidence and patient characteristics in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. A literature search was conducted using PubMed and Embase from 1 January 2015 to 30 May 2025. Articles reporting outcomes of interest in patients with MM in the relevant MENA countries (Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates) were identified. Of 1400 articles identified in the search, 94 were included; four articles were added post hoc as gray literature. Most reported findings from retrospective observational studies (n = 66); more than half were conducted in Turkey. The age-standardized incidence rate in MENA was 1.49 per 100,000 people in 2019; median age at diagnosis was lower in the region (range 43-70 years) than that in global reports (70 years). Nearly half (49.7%) of all patients were treated with a regimen containing bortezomib; the second-most frequently used drug was lenalidomide in newly diagnosed MM and daratumumab in relapsed/refractory MM. Few patients (< 1%) were treated with quadruplet regimens. Overall response rates were generally high (35-90.2%), while survival outcomes varied (median progression-free and overall survival ranged from 2-97.7 months and 4-125.3 months, respectively). Adverse events were inconsistently reported across the studies; hematologic adverse events and peripheral neuropathy were commonly reported. HCRU data in the region were limited. We identified a paucity of comprehensive data on the epidemiology and management of MM in MENA. Improved understanding of treatment patterns and HCRU in the region may provide pathways to advancing access to newer therapies that can alleviate the disease and treatment burden of MM in MENA.