Patient's Unique Gene Expression Profiles Guide Treatment

The PRospective Multiple Myeloma Impact Study (PROMMIS) at the UAMS Myeloma Center studies the impact of gene expression profiling on treatment intention decision in myeloma care

This gene expression profiling study, which is at UAMS under the direction of Myeloma Center Clinical Director Frits van Rhee, M.D., Ph.D., is only taking place at eight academic centers across the U.S. and aims to enroll 250 patients.

Gene expression profiling measures the activity of thousands of genes at once, giving physicians an overall picture of a patient’s myeloma.

“The Myeloma Center began conducting gene expression profiling (GEP) nearly twenty 20 years ago,” van Rhee said. “It helps determine whether a patient is classified as high risk or low risk. Patients with low risk myeloma have in general an excellent

outcome, whilst those with high risk disease are at risk of early relapse.” The Myeloma Center has a Total Therapy protocol specifically designed to treat high-risk disease.

Van Rhee said gene expression profiling has not been widely adopted by most physicians treating myeloma because they are not familiar with the test and unsure how to adjust the treatment, depending upon the results.

“Through the study, we hope to demonstrate to other physicians that knowledge of the gene expression profile results plays a role in our decision making and can influences treatment choices,” van Rhee said.

The expectation is that the study sponsored by SkyDiagnostics will lead to a FDA-approved gene expression profiling test, which can be made widely available to patients. “Through the study, we hope to demonstrate to other physicians that knowledge of the gene expression profile results plays a role in our decision making and can influence treatment choices.”