Strategies to Overcome High-Risk Multiple Myeloma

Multiple myeloma (MM) patients with high-risk cytogenetics continue to have inferior outcomes despite recent advances in the treatment of MM. As defined by the International Myeloma Working Group, the presence of t(4;14), t(14;16), del(17p), t(14;20) and amplification of 1q are considered to be high-risk chromosomal abnormalities associated with poor survival. Despite the use of immunomodulatory agents, proteasome inhibitors, autologous stem cell transplantation, and anti-CD38 monoclonal antibodies, clinical trials of current therapies have not shown strong statistical evidence of being able to overcome the poor prognosis of high-risk disease. Novel treatment approaches are urgently needed to improve survival in this subset of MM patients.