Project description:Smoldering myeloma is an asymptomatic plasma cell dyscrasia with a heterogeneous propensity to progress to active myeloma. In order to investigate the biology of smoldering myeloma patients with high risk of progression, we analyzed the genomic characteristics by FISH, SNP-arrays and gene expression profile of a group of patients with high-risk smoldering myeloma included in a multicenter randomized trial. Chromosomal abnormalities detected by FISH and SNP-arrays at diagnosis were not associated to risk of progression to symptomatic myeloma. However, the overexpression of four SNORD genes (SNORD25, SNORD27, SNORD30 and SNORD31) was correlated with shorter time to progression (P<0.03). When plasma cells from high-risk smoldering patients who progressed to symptomatic myeloma were sequentially analyzed, newly acquired lesions together with an increase in the proportion of plasma cells carrying a given abnormality were observed. These findings suggest that gene expression profiling is a valuable technique to identify smoldering myeloma patients with high risk of progression. (Clinical Trials NCT00443235).
Project description:Smoldering multiple myeloma is a heterogeneous asymptomatic precursor to multiple myeloma. Since its identification in 1980, risk stratification models have been developed using two main stratification methods: clinical measurement-based and genetics-based. Clinical measurement models can be subdivided in three types: baseline measurements (performed at diagnosis), evolving measurements (performed over time during follow-up appointments), and imaging (for example, magnetic resonance imaging). Genetic approaches include gene expression profiling, DNA/RNA sequencing, and cytogenetics. It is important to accurately distinguish patients with indolent disease from those with aggressive disease, as clinical trials have shown that patients designated as "high-risk of progression" have improved outcomes when treated early. The risk stratification models, and clinical trials are discussed in this review.
Project description:Multiple myeloma, a bone marrow cancer, is preceded by precursor stages called monoclonal gammopathy of unknown significance and smoldering multiple myeloma. Over the past few years, highly effective and safe therapies have been made available to treat multiple myeloma. This represents a major breakthrough and has major therapeutic implications. Treatment for multiple myeloma has evolved to include treatment of precursor stages (early treatment) as these therapies are shown to be safe and effective also in smoldering myeloma. Randomized studies have shown that early treatment can delay the onset of multiple myeloma and even improve overall survival compared to observation in smoldering myeloma. The best therapeutic course and selection of patients with smoldering myeloma to treat is still a matter of debate. In this manuscript, we review the definition, management, clinical implications of smoldering myeloma and early detection of myeloma in the current context and with up-to-date data.
Project description:The Oncology Grand Rounds series is designed to place original reports published in the Journal into clinical context. A case presentation is followed by a description of diagnostic and management challenges, a review of the relevant literature, and a summary of the authors' suggested management approaches. The goal of this series is to help readers better understand how to apply the results of key studies, including those published in Journal of Clinical Oncology, to patients seen in their own clinical practice.
Project description:Novel therapies hold promise for high-risk smoldering multiple myeloma (SMM). Recent studies suggest that modern combination approaches can be options for high-risk SMM to obtain deep molecular responses with favorable toxicity profiles. Although pioneering treatment trials based on small numbers of patients suggest progression-free and overall survival benefits, application of the data to real-life practice remains to be validated. Therapeutic modulation of disease tempo, disease burden, clonal evolution, and tumor microenvironment in SMM remains to be understood and calls for reliable biomarkers reflective of disease biology. Here, we review studies that open a new management platform for SMM, address ongoing dilemmas in practice and under investigation, and highlight emerging scientific questions in the era of SMM treatment.
Project description:Smoldering multiple myeloma (SMM) is an asymptomatic condition that occupies a space between monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) and multiple myeloma (MM) along the spectrum of clonal plasma cell proliferative disorders. It is not a biologic intermediate stage between MGUS and MM, but rather represents a heterogeneous clinically defined condition in which some patients (approximately two-thirds) have MGUS (pre-malignancy), and some (approximately one-third) have MM (biologic malignancy). Unfortunately, no single pathologic or molecular feature can reliably distinguish these two groups of patients. For purposes of practice and clinical trials, specific risk factors are used to identify patients with SMM in whom malignant transformation has already likely occurred (high risk SMM). Patients with newly diagnosed high risk SMM should be offered therapy with lenalidomide or lenalidomide plus dexamethasone (Rd) for 2 years, or enrollment in clinical trials. Patients with low risk SMM should be observed without therapy every 3-4 months.
Project description:In 2014, the International Myeloma Working Group reclassified patients with smoldering multiple myeloma (SMM) and bone marrow-plasma cell percentage (BMPC%)???60%, or serum free light chain ratio (FLCr)???100 or >1 focal lesion on magnetic resonance imaging as multiple myeloma (MM). Predictors of progression in patients currently classified as SMM are not known. We identified 421 patients with SMM, diagnosed between 2003 and 2015. The median time to progression (TTP) was 57 months (CI, 45-72). BMPC% >?20% [hazard ratio (HR): 2.28 (CI, 1.63-3.20); p?<?0.0001]; M-protein >?2g/dL [HR: 1.56 (CI, 1.11-2.20); p?=?0.01], and FLCr >?20 [HR: 2.13 (CI, 1.55-2.93); p?<?0.0001] independently predicted shorter TTP in multivariate analysis. Age and immunoparesis were not significant. We stratified patients into three groups: low risk (none of the three risk factors; n?=?143); intermediate risk (one of the three risk factors; n?=?121); and high risk (?2 of the three risk factors; n?=?153). The median TTP for low-, intermediate-, and high-risk groups were 110, 68, and 29 months, respectively (p?<?0.0001). BMPC%?>?20%, M-protein?>?2?g/dL, and FLCr?>?20 at diagnosis can be used to risk stratify patients with SMM. Patients with high-risk SMM need close follow-up and are candidates for clinical trials aiming to prevent progression.
Project description:The risk of progression to multiple myeloma (MM) from the precursor condition smoldering MM (SMM) varies considerably among individual patients. Reliable markers for progression to MM are vital to advance the understanding of myeloma precursor disease and for the development of intervention trials designed to delay/prevent MM. The Mayo Clinic and Spanish PETHEMA have proposed models to stratify patient risk based on clinical parameters. The aim of our study was to define the degree of concordance between these two models by comparing the distribution of patients with SMM classified as low, medium and high risk for progression. A total of 77 patients with SMM were enrolled in our prospective natural history study. Per study protocol, each patient was assigned risk scores based on both the Mayo and the Spanish models. The Mayo Clinic model identified 38, 35 and four patients as low, medium and high risk, respectively. The Spanish PETHEMA model classified 17, 22 and 38 patients as low, medium and high risk, respectively. There was significant discordance in overall patient risk classification (28.6% concordance) and in classifying patients as low versus high (p < 0.0001), low versus non-low (p = 0.0007) and high versus non-high (p < 0.0001) risk. There is a need for prospectively validated models to characterize individual patient risk of transformation to MM.
Project description:We analyzed whole genomes of unique paired samples from smoldering multiple myeloma (SMM) patients progressing to multiple myeloma (MM). We report that the genomic landscape, including mutational profile and structural rearrangements at the smoldering stage is very similar to MM. Paired sample analysis shows two different patterns of progression: a "static progression model", where the subclonal architecture is retained as the disease progressed to MM suggesting that progression solely reflects the time needed to accumulate a sufficient disease burden; and a "spontaneous evolution model", where a change in the subclonal composition is observed. We also observe that activation-induced cytidine deaminase plays a major role in shaping the mutational landscape of early subclinical phases, while progression is driven by APOBEC cytidine deaminases. These results provide a unique insight into myelomagenesis with potential implications for the definition of smoldering disease and timing of treatment initiation.
Project description:The current standard of care for smoldering multiple myeloma (SMM) is observation until there is end-organ involvement. With newer and more effective treatments available, a question that is increasingly asked is whether early intervention in patients with SMM will alter the natural history of their disease. Herein, we review the evolving definition of SMM and risk stratification models. We discuss evidence supporting early intervention for SMM-both as a preventative strategy to delay progression and as an intensive treatment strategy with a goal of potential cure. We highlight ongoing trials and focus on better defining who may require early intervention.