MMRF PREVENTION PROJECT AIMS TO DETECT & DELAY PROGRESSION
Thanks to a multi-million dollar gift from the Perelman Family Foundation , six leading research institutions will partner with the MMRF to identify new ways to monitor disease progression and to find new treatments .
WE SPEAK TO FOUR PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS WHO ARE WORKING WITH THE PREVENTION PROJECT ABOUT THEIR GOALS .
T H E L E A R N I N G N E T W O R K
Q : Will we find markers that may identify patients at high risk for progression from monoclonal gammopathy of unknown significance ( MGUS ) to smoldering multiple myeloma ( SMM ) to myeloma ?
OLA LANDGREN , MD MEMORIAL SLOAN KETTERING CANCER CENTER
Our goal is to find DNA markers of stable MGUS / SMM versus progressive MGUS / SMM . We have developed a DNA sequencing assay – myTYPE – which allows us to identify the DNA changes that cause this progression . We are now looking at myeloma cells in patients with MGUS and SMM and myeloma . This allows us to examine cells from the same individual as their disease progresses .
Q : Can immunotherapy play a role in preventing progression from MGUS to SMM to multiple myeloma ?
ELISABET MANASANCH , MD & ROBERT ORLOWSKI , MD MD ANDERSON CANCER CENTER
Our natural defense system works to detect and destroy abnormal cells that can turn into cancer . Progression from MGUS to SMM to multiple myeloma may result when our immune system loses this ability . Immunotherapy uses a variety of treatments to improve the body ’ s own natural defense system . Several ongoing immunotherapy studies have shown responses in patients with SMM , which may lead to the delay of multiple myeloma development .
Q : What ’ s the latest progress on blood-based monitoring technology in multiple myeloma ?
IRENE M . GHOBRIAL , MD DANA FARBER CANCER INSTITUTE
Blood-based monitoring is becoming very promising in cancer medicine because it detects tumor DNA and tumor cells in patient blood samples . In multiple myeloma , it could be an alternative for bone marrow biopsy , which is painful and inconvenient for our patients . Currently , we are developing a highly sensitive method to detect early stages like MGUS and SMM that can be used as a future test for screening and monitoring patients at different disease stages .
ACCELERATOR • WINTER 2017 11