MGUS, multiple myeloma, and paratarg-7.

摘要

Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) is commonly associated with advancing age. Its significance in multiple myeloma hinges on the fact that patients who develop MGUS before the age of 60 years often go on to develop multiple myeloma. From a hereditary cancer perspective, the genotypic and phenotypic heterogeneity of multiple myeloma might be extremely important in ultimately determining its relationship with one or more hereditary cancer syndromes. In our search for a genetic basis for multiple myeloma, we need to pay attention to such things as age of cancer onset and other patient attributes that might differ among the different forms of the disease. There is a paucity of knowledge about hereditary factors in MGUS and-multiple myeloma, which is unfortunate, considering the value of studying such patients and families whose lifetime risk of MGUS and multiple myeloma will significantly exceed that in the general population. But short of pedigree assessment, how do you identify individuals at increased risk for MGUS and multiple myeloma?