The prognosis of multiple myeloma is mainly dependent upon chromosomal changes. The 2 major abnormalities driving poor outcome are del(17p) and t(4;14). However, the outcome of these high-risk patients is not absolutely uniform, with some patients presenting long survival. We hypothesized that these better outcomes might be related to concomitant "good-risk" chromosomal changes exploring hyperd...

The review of the pertinent literature disclosed 36 reports of familial multiple myeloma, described mostly in siblings, to which the authors add one more family. These patients did not differ significantly from those with non-familial myeloma with regard to sex, age, distribution of monoclonal proteins, clinical and laboratory data, and the course and prognosis of the disease. An increased inci...

Multiple myeloma is a cytogenetically/molecularly heterogeneous hematologic malignancy that remains mostly incurable, and the identification of a universal and relevant therapeutic target molecule is essential for the further development of therapeutic strategy. Herein, we identified that 3-phosphoinositide-dependent protein kinase 1 (PDPK1), a serine threonine kinase, is expressed and active i...

Multiple myeloma is a malignant proliferation of monoclonal plasma cells leading to clinical features that include hypercalcaemia, renal dysfunction, anaemia, and bone disease (frequently referred to by the acronymCRAB) which represent evidence of end organ failure. Recent evidence has revealed myeloma to be a highly heterogeneous disease composed of multiple molecularly-defined subtypes each w...

Extramedullary multiple myeloma (or extramedullary disease, EMD) is an aggressive form of (MM) that occurs when malignant plasma cells become independent the bone marrow microenvironment. This may occur alongside MM diagnosis or in later stages relapse and confers extremely poor prognosis. In era novel agents anti-myeloma therapies, incidence EMD increasing, making this a more prevalent challen...

Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) and smoldering multiple myeloma (SMM) are asymptomatic, pre-malignant disorders characterized by monoclonal plasma cell proliferation in the bone marrow and absence of end-organ damage. Recent advances in the pathogenesis, natural history, and prognosis of MGUS and SMM are reviewed. A new risk stratification system to determine the progn...

Multiple myeloma is a common hematological malignancy. Serous effusions are described uncommonly in myelomas. A myelomatous effusion however, is extremely rare and carries a poor prognosis. We report a case of multiple myeloma with leukemic transformation and simultaneous pleural fluid involvement in a 66-year old patient who was receiving chemotherapy. The patient developed exceptional dyspnea...