Short summary

The primary aim of the study is to develop a sensitive, patient specific and non-invasive mass spectrometry-based method for monitoring patients with multiple myeloma. A low-cost blood-based assay for MRD analysis will significantly improve patient care; spare patients serial painful bone marrow aspirates and allow more frequent sampling and monitoring thereby reduce the risk of serious disease relapses, enable a more personalized treatment, and prolong disease-free survival for patients with MM

Rationale

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a severe plasma cell cancer caused by proliferation and accumulation of malignant plasma cells in the bone marrow. Novel therapies have improved responses and survival considerably. Recently, it was shown that achieved and sustained minimal residual disease (MRD) negativity is the best predictor for longterm disease-free and overall survival. Achieving and maintaining MRD negativity will therefore be the new treatment goal for patients with MM. Blood-based MRD analyses of high sensitivity would allow more frequent sampling and monitoring. Mass spectrometry (MS) based analysis of patient-specific M-protein is potential candidate for sensitive and specific monitoring of patients in deep remission. Establishing a blood based MRD analysis will potentially not only be more convenient for MM patients in the Region of Southern Denmark, it may also be more sensitive. The blood reflects disease status in the whole body, whereas bone marrow sampling only allows examining what is present at this particular site. A blood-based assay for assessing and monitoring MRD will significantly improve patient care for the MM patients in the Region of Southern Denmark; it will not only spare these patients for serial painful bone marrow aspirates, it would also allow more frequent sampling and monitoring, in all leading to a reduced the risk of having a serious disease relapse and marked prolonged disease-free survival.

Description of the cohort

Patients diagnosed with MM and in complete remission. Included from Dept. of Hematology, OUH

Data and biological material

Blod, bone marrow, data from patient journals

Collaborating researchers and departments

Dept. of Hematology, OUH

• Chief physician Charlotte T. Hansen

Dept. of Pathology, OUH

• Chief physician Hanne EH Møller

Dept. of Nuclear Medicine

• chief physician Anne M. Nielsen

Dept. of Clinical Biochemistry

• prof. Hans Christian Beck

Research unit of Haematology, SDU

• Charlotte Guldborg Nyvold