scholarly journals The Evolution of Prognostic Factors in Multiple Myeloma

2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amr Hanbali ◽  
Mona Hassanein ◽  
Walid Rasheed ◽  
Mahmoud Aljurf ◽  
Fahad Alsharif

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a heterogeneous hematologic malignancy involving the proliferation of plasma cells derived by different genetic events contributing to the development, progression, and prognosis of this disease. Despite improvement in treatment strategies of MM over the last decade, the disease remains incurable. All efforts are currently focused on understanding the prognostic markers of the disease hoping to incorporate the new therapeutic modalities to convert the disease into curable one. We present this comprehensive review to summarize the current standard prognostic markers used in MM along with novel techniques that are still in development and highlight their implications in current clinical practice.

2021 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 640-660
Author(s):  
Grace Lassiter ◽  
Cole Bergeron ◽  
Ryan Guedry ◽  
Julia Cucarola ◽  
Adam M. Kaye ◽  
...  

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a hematologic malignancy characterized by excessive clonal proliferation of plasma cells. The treatment of multiple myeloma presents a variety of unique challenges due to the complex molecular pathophysiology and incurable status of the disease at this time. Given that MM is the second most common blood cancer with a characteristic and unavoidable relapse/refractory state during the course of the disease, the development of new therapeutic modalities is crucial. Belantamab mafodotin (belamaf, GSK2857916) is a first-in-class therapeutic, indicated for patients who have previously attempted four other treatments, including an anti-CD38 monoclonal antibody, a proteosome inhibitor, and an immunomodulatory agent. In November 2017, the FDA designated belamaf as a breakthrough therapy for heavily pretreated patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma. In August 2020, the FDA granted accelerated approval as a monotherapy for relapsed or treatment-refractory multiple myeloma. The drug was also approved in the EU for this indication in late August 2020. Of note, belamaf is associated with the following adverse events: decreased platelets, corneal disease, decreased or blurred vision, anemia, infusion-related reactions, pyrexia, and fetal risk, among others. Further studies are necessary to evaluate efficacy in comparison to other standard treatment modalities and as future drugs in this class are developed.


2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (7) ◽  
pp. 2087 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wolfgang Willenbacher ◽  
Andreas Seeber ◽  
Normann Steiner ◽  
Ella Willenbacher ◽  
Zoran Gatalica ◽  
...  

Multiple myeloma (MM), the second most common hematologic malignancy, is characterized by the clonal expansion of plasma cells. Despite dramatic improvements in patients′ survival over the past decade due to advances in therapy exploiting novel molecular targets (immunomodulatory drugs, proteasome inhibitors and monoclonal antibodies), the treatment of relapsed and refractory disease remains challenging. Recent studies confirmed complex, dynamic, and heterogeneous genomic alterations without unifying gene mutations in MM patients. In the current review, we survey recent therapeutic strategies, as well as molecular profiling data on MM, with emphasis on relapsed and refractory cases. A critical appraisal of novel findings and of their potential therapeutic implications will be discussed in detail, along with the author’s own experiences/views.


2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 187-215 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lavinia Raimondi ◽  
Angela De Luca ◽  
Gianluca Giavaresi ◽  
Agnese Barone ◽  
Pierosandro Tagliaferri ◽  
...  

: Chemoprevention is based on the use of non-toxic, pharmacologically active agents to prevent tumor progression. In this regard, natural dietary agents have been described by the most recent literature as promising tools for controlling onset and progression of malignancies. Extensive research has been so far performed to shed light on the effects of natural products on tumor growth and survival, disclosing the most relevant signal transduction pathways targeted by such compounds. Overall, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and cytotoxic effects of dietary agents on tumor cells are supported either by results from epidemiological or animal studies and even by clinical trials. : Multiple myeloma is a hematologic malignancy characterized by abnormal proliferation of bone marrow plasma cells and subsequent hypercalcemia, renal dysfunction, anemia, or bone disease, which remains incurable despite novel emerging therapeutic strategies. Notably, increasing evidence supports the capability of dietary natural compounds to antagonize multiple myeloma growth in preclinical models of the disease, underscoring their potential as candidate anti-cancer agents. : In this review, we aim at summarizing findings on the anti-tumor activity of dietary natural products, focusing on their molecular mechanisms, which include inhibition of oncogenic signal transduction pathways and/or epigenetic modulating effects, along with their potential clinical applications against multiple myeloma and its related bone disease.


Cells ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 292
Author(s):  
Ada-Sophia Clees ◽  
Verena Stolp ◽  
Björn Häupl ◽  
Dominik C. Fuhrmann ◽  
Frank Wempe ◽  
...  

Multiple myeloma (MM) is the second most common hematologic malignancy, which is characterized by clonal proliferation of neoplastic plasma cells in the bone marrow. This microenvironment is characterized by low oxygen levels (1–6% O2), known as hypoxia. For MM cells, hypoxia is a physiologic feature that has been described to promote an aggressive phenotype and to confer drug resistance. However, studies on hypoxia are scarce and show little conformity. Here, we analyzed the mRNA expression of previously determined hypoxia markers to define the temporal adaptation of MM cells to chronic hypoxia. Subsequent analyses of the global proteome in MM cells and the stromal cell line HS-5 revealed hypoxia-dependent regulation of proteins, which directly or indirectly upregulate glycolysis. In addition, chronic hypoxia led to MM-specific regulation of nine distinct proteins. One of these proteins is the cysteine protease legumain (LGMN), the depletion of which led to a significant growth disadvantage of MM cell lines that is enhanced under hypoxia. Thus, herein, we report a methodologic strategy to examine MM cells under physiologic hypoxic conditions in vitro and to decipher and study previously masked hypoxia-specific therapeutic targets such as the cysteine protease LGMN.


Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (23) ◽  
pp. 5949
Author(s):  
Anna Y. Aksenova ◽  
Anna S. Zhuk ◽  
Artem G. Lada ◽  
Irina V. Zotova ◽  
Elena I. Stepchenkova ◽  
...  

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a malignant neoplasm of terminally differentiated immunoglobulin-producing B lymphocytes called plasma cells. MM is the second most common hematologic malignancy, and it poses a heavy economic and social burden because it remains incurable and confers a profound disability to patients. Despite current progress in MM treatment, the disease invariably recurs, even after the transplantation of autologous hematopoietic stem cells (ASCT). Biological processes leading to a pathological myeloma clone and the mechanisms of further evolution of the disease are far from complete understanding. Genetically, MM is a complex disease that demonstrates a high level of heterogeneity. Myeloma genomes carry numerous genetic changes, including structural genome variations and chromosomal gains and losses, and these changes occur in combinations with point mutations affecting various cellular pathways, including genome maintenance. MM genome instability in its extreme is manifested in mutation kataegis and complex genomic rearrangements: chromothripsis, templated insertions, and chromoplexy. Chemotherapeutic agents used to treat MM add another level of complexity because many of them exacerbate genome instability. Genome abnormalities are driver events and deciphering their mechanisms will help understand the causes of MM and play a pivotal role in developing new therapies.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (22) ◽  
pp. 5616-5630
Author(s):  
Tiziana Bruno ◽  
Francesca De Nicola ◽  
Giacomo Corleone ◽  
Valeria Catena ◽  
Frauke Goeman ◽  
...  

Abstract Multiple myeloma (MM) is a hematologic malignancy produced by a clonal expansion of plasma cells and characterized by abnormal production and secretion of monoclonal antibodies. This pathology exhibits an enormous heterogeneity resulting not only from genetic alterations but also from several epigenetic dysregulations. Here we provide evidence that Che-1/AATF (Che-1), an interactor of RNA polymerase II, promotes MM proliferation by affecting chromatin structure and sustaining global gene expression. We found that Che-1 depletion leads to a reduction of “active chromatin” by inducing a global decrease of histone acetylation. In this context, Che-1 directly interacts with histones and displaces histone deacetylase class I members from them. Strikingly, transgenic mice expressing human Che-1 in plasma cells develop MM with clinical features resembling those observed in the human disease. Finally, Che-1 downregulation decreases BRD4 chromatin accumulation to further sensitize MM cells to bromodomain and external domain inhibitors. These findings identify Che-1 as a promising target for MM therapy, alone or in combination with bromodomain and external domain inhibitors.


Blood ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 116 (21) ◽  
pp. 5023-5023
Author(s):  
Susana Hernández-García ◽  
Mercè de Frias ◽  
Clara Campàs ◽  
Bruno Paiva ◽  
Enrique M. Ocio ◽  
...  

Abstract Abstract 5023 Multiple myeloma (MM) is a malignancy characterized by the accumulation of plasma cells. The disease represents the second most common hematologic malignancy and remains incurable, despite recent advances in its treatment. Therefore, studies to develop new therapies are still necessary, particularly in patients with bad prognostic factors, such as 17p deleted/p53 mutated patients. In this study we describe the preclinical activity of 5-Aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-1–4-ribofuranoside (AICAR or acadesine) in multiple myeloma. Acadesine is an analog of AMP that is widely used as an activator of AMP-kinase (AMPK), a protein that regulates the responses of the cell to energy changes. Acadesine induces apoptosis in different cell types including CLL, mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) and splenic marginal zone B-cell lymphoma (SMZL) cells and tumor cell lines, without affecting primary T lymphocytes. Thus, acadesine is a promising drug for the treatment of B-cell neoplasms. A clinical phase I/II study of acadesine is currently being performed in CLL patients. We studied the effects of acadesine on the MTT metabolization of several multiple myeloma cell lines (MM1S, MM1R, RPMI-8266, RPMI-LR5, U266, U266-LR7, U266 Dox4, MM144, MGG, SJR, OPM-2, NCIH-929). Acadesine inhibited MM cell growth and induced apoptosis, with IC50 values in the micromolar range, and independently of the p53 mutational status. Cancer treatment, including myeloma, is generally based on combinations of drugs with different mechanisms of action. Thus, we studied the effect of acadesine in double combinations with drugs used in myeloma therapy, such as dexamethasone, melphalan, doxorubicin, bortezomib, and lenalidomide. Analyses of these data using the Chou and Talalay method indicated that acadesine was synergistic with dexamethasone (CI values of 0.60), and particularly with lenalidomide (CI values of 0.42). These promising results with double combinations promoted the investigation of triple combinations in the MM1S cell line. Triple combination of acadesine plus dexamethasone plus lenalidomide or bortezomib notably improved the efficacy of the respective double combinations, being the combination of acadesine plus lenalidomide plus dexamethasone especially efficient. Further studies to determinate the mechanism of action, and in vivo studies in MM1S xenograph are ongoing. Disclosures: de Frias: Advancell: Employment. Campàs:Advancell: Employment.


Blood ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 136 (Supplement 1) ◽  
pp. 26-26
Author(s):  
Hugo Henrique de Freitas Ferreira ◽  
Alessandra Suelen Jardim Silva ◽  
Lenilton Silva DA Silva Júnior ◽  
Gustavo Henrique de Medeiros Oliveira ◽  
Maria das Graças Pereira Araujo ◽  
...  

Introduction: Multiple myeloma (MM) is a malignant neoplasm characterized by the clonal proliferation of abnormal plasma cells in the bone marrow (OM). The average age of patients diagnosed with MM is approximately 70 years, being relatively uncommon in younger individuals. Objective: To report a case of a young patient with multiple myeloma. Case Description: A 42-year-old male patient presented with continuous and progressive low back pain for 3 months, associated with adynamia, weight loss (10 kg), episodes of constipation and bleeding in the oral cavity in this period. Examinations at the first appointment revealed moderate anemia (Hb 7.4 g / dL), leukocytosis, thrombocytopenia, hypercalcemia, and altered renal function (Cr 5.9 and Ur 178), chest tomography indicating vertebral fracture in T6, T11, L2 and L4. Referred for specialized follow-up, he performed electrophoresis of serum proteins with the presence of a monoclonal peak in the gamma globulin fraction. The immunofixation test confirmed monoclonality for IgA isotype and Kappa light chain (IgA / Kappa). The myelogram showed plasmacytosis of more than 50% of mononuclear cells in the bone marrow. He developed renal failure (with dosage of creatinine of 10.1 mg/ dL. and urea of 208 mg/dL) and hypercalcemia requiring dialysis therapy on the third day of hospitalization, having undergone chemotherapy with Bortezomib, cyclophosphamide and dexamethasone. During this period, infection by the multisensitive S. aureus in catheter occurred and, despite being treated with specific antibiotic therapy, it evolved with clinical worsening and hemodynamic instability and was referred to the Intensive Care Unit, going to death after 2 days. Conclusion: Young patients with MM may study with more aggressive characteristics. Despite the use of new therapeutic agents, more effective treatment strategies need to be studied more for patients in this age group. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


2020 ◽  
Vol 72 (5) ◽  
pp. 1407-1417
Author(s):  
Kinga A. Kocemba-Pilarczyk ◽  
Sonia Trojan ◽  
Barbara Ostrowska ◽  
Małgorzata Lasota ◽  
Paulina Dudzik ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Multiple myeloma (MM) is defined as plasma cells malignancy, developing in the bone marrow. At the beginning of the disease, the malignant plasma cells are dependent on bone marrow microenvironment, providing growth and survival factors. Importantly, the recent studies pointed hypoxia as an important factor promoting progression of MM. In particular, hypoxia-triggered HIF-1 signaling was shown to promote chemoresistance, angiogenesis, invasiveness and induction of immature phenotype, suggesting that strategies targeting HIF-1 may contribute to improvement of anti-myeloma therapies. Methods The Western Blot and RT-PCR techniques were applied to analyze the influence of metformin on HIF-1 pathway in MM cells. To evaluate the effect of metformin on the growth of MM cell lines in normoxic and hypoxic conditions the MTT assay was used. The apoptosis induction in metformin treated hypoxic and normoxic cells was verified by Annexin V/PI staining followed by FACS analysis. Results Our results showed, for the first time, that metformin inhibits HIF-1 signaling in MM cells. Moreover, we demonstrated the effect of metformin to be mainly oxygen dependent, since the HIF-1 pathway was not significantly affected by metformin in anoxic conditions as well as after application of hypoxic mimicking compound, CoCl2. Our data also revealed that metformin triggers the growth arrest without inducing apoptosis in either normoxic or hypoxic conditions. Conclusions Taken together, our study indicates metformin as a promising candidate for developing new treatment strategies exploiting HIF-1 signaling inhibition to enhance the overall anti-MM effect of currently used therapies, that may considerably benefit MM patients.


2020 ◽  
pp. 107815522093235
Author(s):  
Senem Maral ◽  
Murat Albayrak ◽  
Osman Sahin ◽  
Hacer Berna Afacan Ozturk ◽  
Unsal Han ◽  
...  

Introduction Synchronous detection of multiple myeloma and acute myeloid leukemia in a single patient is a rare coincidence. Treatment of these patients is still unclear, mostly based on acute myeloid leukemia strategies combined with bortezomib. Case report A 72-year-old male with no medical history was investigated for pancytopenia. On medical examination, he was complicated with a wide and severe skin infection on arm. On examination of bone marrow aspirate, 25% myeloblasts infiltration and additional 10% plasma cells were seen. Acute myeloid leukemia was diagnosed and plasma cell proliferation was attributed to reactive plasmacytosis due to skin infection. However, flowcytometric studies and immunohistochemical examination revealed two different cell populations with 30–40% atypical plasma cells and >20% myeloblasts. Serum M-protein detected by serum electrophoresis test and immunofixation test revealed a monoclonal IgG lambda band. He was diagnosed with concurrent acute myeloid leukemia and multiple myeloma without history of chemotherapy. Management and outcome: The patient was initially treated with bortezomib and dexamethasone for the myeloma. Subsequently, azacitidine was administered subcutaneously for the acute myeloid leukemia treatment. The tru-cut biopsy of the lesion on his arm revealed suppurative inflammatory findings and no malign cells detected. Antibiotherapy was started according to susceptibility. He expired after three months of survival. Discussion The synchronous occurrence of these two different clonal hematological malignancies is rare in hematology practice. Patient-based prospective studies and case series are needed to guide diagnosis and treatment strategies. Furthermore, this report highlights the importance of ruling out reactive plasmacytosis in patients with hematological malignancy who developed severe infections.


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