Articles tagged with: Monoclonal Gammopathy Of Undetermined Significance
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Yesterday was the first day of research presentations at this year’s American Society of Hematology (ASH) annual meeting, which is being held in Atlanta.
Research findings related to multiple myeloma was presented in three different sessions during the day.
Two of the sessions were actually the same general educational session about multiple myeloma, repeated at two different times during the day. The Beacon will cover the presentations given during those sessions in a separate daily update.
The key myeloma-related research presented yesterday, however, was made public during a poster session in the …
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Brenda Driver, a 59-year old former nurse from California, was diagnosed with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) in August last year.
She took the diagnosis as a blessing in disguise. “I’m grateful that I didn’t present with myeloma right away. Having MGUS gives me a chance to learn about myeloma,” she said.
MGUS is a plasma cell disorder, characterized by the presence of increased levels of monoclonal (M) protein in the blood. Unlike myeloma patients, however, those with MGUS do not experience any disease-related symptoms. MGUS patients currently follow a “watch …
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Today is the last day of this year’s American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting, which is being held in Chicago. However, the multiple myeloma-related presentations at the meeting concluded yesterday.
A poster session yesterday afternoon featured research on a wide variety of myeloma-related topics, ranging from new treatments being developed for myeloma, to currently used regimens, to second cancers, to precursor myeloma diseases, and much more.
This article summarizes research from that session related to prognostic factors, precursor myeloma diseases, peripheral neuropathy, osteonecrosis of the jaw, and second cancers.
A summary …
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INNO-206 Shows Activity Against Myeloma - Results of a preclinical study show that the investigational drug INNO-206 inhibits blood vessel formation and reduces cell growth in myeloma cell lines. The drug showed these effects when tested alone; additionally it enhanced the efficacy of Velcade (bortezomib) when tested in combination. INNO-206 is a derivative of the chemotherapy agent doxorubicin (Adriamycin). This study also showed that INNO-206 was safer in mice than doxorubicin and therefore could be administered at higher doses. For information, please see the study in Clinical Cancer Research (abstract).
TRAIL-Doxorubicin Combination May Eradicate Myeloma Cells – Results of a preclinical study show that a combination of doxorubicin and TRAIL, a protein that induces cell death, was able to eradicate myeloma cell lines. In particular, the TRAIL-doxorubicin combination successfully eliminated cells that are implicated in tumor initiation as well as tumor growth. According to the study investigators, these findings offer a promising new approach to finding a cure for multiple myeloma. For more information, please see the study in PloS One.
Relatives Of Multiple Myeloma Patients Have Increased Risk Of MGUS – Results of a study conducted at the Mayo Clinic indicate that first-degree relatives of multiple myeloma patients are 3.4 times as likely to develop light-chain monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) compared to the general population. A previous study also showed that these relatives are at an increased risk of developing heavy-chain MGUS. For more information, please see the study in the British Journal of Hematology (abstract).
IMF Myeloma Workshop For Patients And Families – The International Myeloma Foundation (IMF) will be hosting a workshop for multiple myeloma patients and their families on June 23 in Milwaukee, WI. Dr. Ayman Saad from the Medical College of Wisconsin, Dr. Natalie Callander from the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine, and nurse Tiffany Richards from the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston will speak about topics including treatment options, managing side effects, and local clinical trials. For more information or to register, please visit the IMF website.
For a more detailed listing of myeloma-related events, please check the Myeloma Beacon Events Calendar.
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Study Reveals Genetic Differences Between MGUS And Multiple Myeloma – In a recent study, Spanish researchers identified chromosomal abnormalities that were more frequent in patients with active mutiple myeloma than in patients with smoldering myeloma and monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS), a condition that may later progress to smoldering or active myeloma. The researchers also found that chromosomal abnormalities tend to be more frequent in active myeloma patients than in smoldering myeloma patients, and also more frequent in smoldering myeloma patients than in MGUS patients. For more information, please see the study in Leukemia (abstract).
sCD105 Protein May Be An Indicator For Myeloma Severity – Results of a recent study show that levels of the protein sCD105 circulating in the blood are higher in multiple myeloma patients than in healthy individuals. Higher levels of sCD105 also were associated with more advanced stages of disease. sCD105 is known to play a role in the growth of new blood vessels and may thus contribute to tumor progression in myeloma. Researchers believe these findings warrant further study of sCD105 levels as an indicator for disease activity. For more information, please see the study in the European Journal of Internal Medicine (abstract).
Whole Body MRI Adds Limited Value To Routine Myeloma Remission Testing After Transplantation – A recent study found that the use of whole body magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to detect persisting or relapsing multiple myeloma post transplant offers little added value compared to current routine laboratory tests. The results of the whole body MRI and routine laboratory tests were in agreement in 79 percent of the patients assessed. For more information, please see the study in European Radiology (abstract).
IMF Myeloma Workshop For Patients And Families – The International Myeloma Foundation (IMF) will be hosting a workshop for multiple myeloma patients and their families on May 19 in Indianapolis, IN. Dr. Rafat Abonour from the Indiana University Bone Marrow and Stem Cell Transplantation Program and nurse Kena Miller from the Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, NY, will speak about topics including treatment options, managing side effects, and local clinical trials. For more information or to register, please visit the IMF website.
For a more detailed listing of myeloma-related events, please check the Myeloma Beacon Events Calendar.
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Progression From MGUS To Myeloma Is Similar Among Japanese And Westerners – A recent study found that Japanese people with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) progressed to multiple myeloma at rates similar to those previously reported for Westerners. Specifically, the results showed that 3 percent progressed within 5 years, 9 percent within 10 years, 11.4 percent within 15 years, and 32.1 percent within 20 years. For more information, see the study in the journal Rinsho Ketsueki (abstract).
Pomalidomide May Be Effective In Patients With Amyloidosis – Results from a Phase 2 study show that pomalidomide plus dexamethasone (Decadron), a combination being studied for the treatment of multiple myeloma, may also be effective in previously treated patients with immunoglobulin light chain amyloidosis. Amyloidosis is a blood disorder that results in the abnormal accumulation of proteins in tissues and organs throughout the body. An estimated 10 percent to 15 percent of myeloma patients also develop symptoms associated with amyloidosis (see related Beacon news). Among the 33 amyloidosis patients included in the study, 48 percent had improved blood cell counts and 15 percent had organ improvement after treatment with pomalidomide and dexamethasone. The median progression-free survival was 14 months, and the median overall survival was 28 months. For more information, see the study in the journal Blood (abstract).
Participants Needed For Myeloma Risk Association Study – The International Myeloma Foundation is conducting a study to determine why certain races and family members are at an increased risk of developing multiple myeloma. The study is a brief survey that multiple myeloma patients can complete via the Internet. To participate, see the study website.
Clinical Insights Education Program – The Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF) is sponsoring an education program for myeloma patients and their families about multiple myeloma clinical insights. The event will be held on April 27 in New York City. Myeloma experts from leading cancer centers will speak about the latest advances in frontline therapy, stem cell transplants, relapsed and refractory myeloma, supportive care, and clinical trials. A question and answer session is included in the program. Registration will begin at 9 a.m., and the program will conclude at 2:30 p.m. For more information or to register, please see the MMRF website.
For a more detailed listing of myeloma-related events, please check the Myeloma Beacon Events Calendar.
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According to the results of a recent large Swedish study, patients with the myeloma precursor disease monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance may have a higher risk of developing infections than the general population.
The researchers found that patients with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) were more than twice as likely as the general population to develop either a bacterial or viral infection.
However, they found infections did not increase an MGUS patient’s risk of progressing to multiple myeloma.
The researchers commented that these findings may influence the surveillance and treatment of …
