Dr. Landgren on Examining Progressive vs Stable Myeloma Precursor Conditions

Ola Landgren, MD, PhD, inaugural leader of the Experimental Therapeutics Program at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Miami Health System, discusses the importance of understanding progressive vs stable multiple myeloma precursor conditions.

In a study that utilized whole exome sequencing to identify progressive and stable precursor conditions as separate entities, investigators focused on patients with low levels of disease, which made the research unique, Landgren says. If a large number patients with smoldering myeloma are studied, a number of them will inevitably develop multiple myeloma, Landgren explains.

However, if one has a large population of patients with monoclonal gammopathy of unknown significance, the proportion of those who develop multiple myeloma will be lower, Landgren says. For those who are going to progress, however, these considerations are equally important.

The study was difficult to perform because of technological limitations at the time, Landgren explains. Results from the study indicated that certain genomic signatures will activate in patients, including APOBEC, which is known to be associated with aggressive, solid, and metastatic cancers. APOBEC has been found to be present in multiple myeloma, as well as in patients with relapsed myeloma, Landgren concludes.