title: Molecular profiling of multiple myeloma: from gene expression analysis to next-generation sequencing.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Multiple myeloma is a fatal malignant proliferation of clonal bone marrow Ig-secreting plasma cells, characterized by wide clinical, biological, and molecular heterogeneity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Herein, global gene and microRNA expression, genome-wide DNA profilings, and next-generation sequencing technology used to investigate the genomic alterations underlying the bio-clinical heterogeneity in multiple myeloma are discussed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High-throughput technologies have undoubtedly allowed a better comprehension of the molecular basis of the disease, a fine stratification, and early identification of high-risk patients, and have provided insights toward targeted therapy studies. However, such technologies are at risk of being affected by laboratory- or cohort-specific biases, and are moreover influenced by high number of expected false positives. This aspect has a major weight in myeloma, which is characterized by large molecular heterogeneity. Therefore, meta-analysis as well as multiple approaches are desirable if not mandatory to validate the results obtained, in line with commonly accepted recommendation for tumor diagnostic/prognostic biomarker studies.
authors.affiliation: University of Milan, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, F. Sforza, 35 - 20122 Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Agnelli
authors.forename: Pierfrancesco
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tassone
authors.forename: Antonino
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Neri
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics*; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D059014:High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing; D006801:Humans; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000628:therapy
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor