publications An acquired high-risk chromosome instability phenotype in multiple myeloma: Jumping 1q Syndrome A new publication in Blood Cancer Journal August 2019 Primary author: Jeffrey R. Sawyer, Ph.D. Some multiple myeloma patients develop adverse chromosome abnormalities such as increases of the long arm of chromosome arm 1. The longer arm of the two sections of chromosome 1 is referred to as chromosome 1q. Sawyer describes a new syndrome in myeloma called “Jumping 1q Syndrome.” These patients
have instability of the genetic material in their myeloma cells and can develop multiple copies of 1 q, which ‘jump’ to other chromosomes with which they fuse. This way patients can have as many as five or more copies of 1q in their myeloma cells. The development of the chromosome 1q abnormalities can confer resistance to therapy. It is important to recognize these patients since they may require new approaches to treatment.
Daratumumab in high risk relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma patients: Adverse effect of 1q21 gain/amplification and GEP70 status on outcome A new publication in British Journal of Haematology Daratumumab in high-risk relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma patients: adverse effect of chromosome 1q21 gain/amplification and GEP70 status on outcome. Mohan M, Weinhold N, Schinke C, Thanedrarajan S, Rasche L, Sawyer JR, Tian E, van Rhee F, Zangari M. Br J Haematol. 2019 Dec 9. doi: 10.1111/bjh.16292. [Epub ahead of print] Daratumumab is a monoclonal antibody used for the treatment of relapsed and newly diagnosed multiple myeloma. Daratumumab
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recognizes a molecule called CD38 on myeloma cells and activates the immune system to kill myeloma. Human cells have 23 pairs of chromosomes containing the genetic material. The Myeloma Center was one of the first to report that the presence of multiple copies of the long arm of chromosome 1 in the myeloma cells is associated with worse outcome. Zangari and colleagues found that patients with relapsed myeloma who have multiple copies of chromosome 1 also respond less well to treatment with daratumumab. The results of this study will allow for targeting daratumumab treatment to those patients who are most likely to derive benefit.
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