High-risk multiple myeloma: different definitions, different outcomes?
Multiple myeloma (MM) is a clonal plasma cell malignancy. Although MM is still not completely curable, it can be maintained at the level of a long-term chronic condition. Irrespective of the treatment strategy, relapse is still a major problem for most patients. Approximately 10% to 15% of all MM patients relapse early and have poor prognosis and outcome. Currently, there are many ways of identifying these high-risk patients using cytogenetics or molecular biology. Despite these various approaches to definition of high risk patients, a clear definition of high-risk MM has not been widely accepted. In this review, we discuss and compare various approaches, and their strengths and weaknesses in early identification of high-risk MM patients.
Babak Myeloma Group, Department of Pathological Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic.
Helena
H
Paszekova
Babak Myeloma Group, Department of Pathological Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic.
Fedor
F
Kryukov
Babak Myeloma Group, Department of Pathological Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic; Department of Clinical Hematology, University Hospital Brno, Czech Republic.
Lenka
L
Kubiczkova
Babak Myeloma Group, Department of Pathological Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic; Department of Clinical Hematology, University Hospital Brno, Czech Republic.
Roman
R
Hajek
Babak Myeloma Group, Department of Pathological Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic; Department of Clinical Hematology, University Hospital Brno, Czech Republic. Electronic address: sevcik@med.muni.cz.
Sabina
S
Sevcikova
D003582:Cytogenetics / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000473:pathology; D011379:Prognosis; D012306:Risk
Cytogenetics; GEP; High-risk disease; MGUS; Multiple myeloma; Prognosis