title: Serum B-cell maturation antigen: a novel biomarker to predict outcomes for multiple myeloma patients.
abstract: B-cell maturation antigen is expressed on plasma cells. In this study, we have identified serum B-cell maturation antigen as a novel biomarker that can monitor and predict outcomes for multiple myeloma patients. Compared to healthy donors, patients with multiple myeloma showed elevated serum B-cell maturation antigen levels (P<0.0001). Serum B-cell maturation antigen levels correlated with the proportion of plasma cells in bone marrow biopsies (Spearman's rho = 0.710;P<0.001), clinical status (complete responsevspartial response,P=0.0374; complete responsevsprogressive disease,P<0.0001), and tracked with changes in M-protein levels. Among patients with non-secretory disease, serum B-cell maturation antigen levels correlated with bone marrow plasma cell levels and findings from positron emission tomography scans. Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated that serum B-cell maturation antigen levels above the median levels were predictive of a shorter progression-free survival (P=0.0006) and overall survival (P=0.0108) among multiple myeloma patients (n=243). Specifically, patients with serum B-cell maturation antigen levels above the median level at the time of starting front-line (P=0.0043) or a new salvage therapy (P=0.0044) were found to have shorter progression-free survival. Importantly, serum B-cell maturation antigen levels did not show any dependence on renal function and maintained independent significance when tested against other known prognostic markers for multiple myeloma such as age, serum β2 microglobulin, hemoglobin, and bone disease. These data identify serum B-cell maturation antigen as a new biomarker to manage multiple myeloma patients.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Myeloma & Bone Cancer Research, West Hollywood, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ghermezi
authors.affiliation: Institute for Myeloma & Bone Cancer Research, West Hollywood, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Mingjie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Institute for Myeloma & Bone Cancer Research, West Hollywood, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Suzie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vardanyan
authors.affiliation: Institute for Myeloma & Bone Cancer Research, West Hollywood, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Nika Manik
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Harutyunyan
authors.affiliation: Institute for Myeloma & Bone Cancer Research, West Hollywood, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Jillian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gottlieb
authors.affiliation: Institute for Myeloma & Bone Cancer Research, West Hollywood, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Ariana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Berenson
authors.affiliation: Oncotherapeutics, West Hollywood, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Tanya M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Spektor
authors.affiliation: Oncotherapeutics, West Hollywood, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Andreu-Vieyra
authors.affiliation: Oncotherapeutics, West Hollywood, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Sophia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Petraki
authors.affiliation: Institute for Myeloma & Bone Cancer Research, West Hollywood, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sanchez
authors.affiliation: Institute for Myeloma & Bone Cancer Research, West Hollywood, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Kyle
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Udd
authors.affiliation: Institute for Myeloma & Bone Cancer Research, West Hollywood, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Cathy S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: James R. Berenson, MD, Inc., West Hollywood, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Regina A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Swift
authors.affiliation: Institute for Myeloma & Bone Cancer Research, West Hollywood, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Haiming
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Institute for Myeloma & Bone Cancer Research, West Hollywood, CA, USA jberenson@imbcr.org.|Oncotherapeutics, West Hollywood, CA, USA.|James R. Berenson, MD, Inc., West Hollywood, CA, USA.
authors.forename: James R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Berenson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D053301:B-Cell Maturation Antigen / Q000097:blood*; D015415:Biomarkers; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010950:Plasma Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D011379:Prognosis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D053301:B-Cell Maturation Antigen; D015415:Biomarkers; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor