Chromosomal abnormalities of young multiple myeloma patients (<45 yr) are not different from those of other age groups and are independent of stage according to the International Staging System

Abstract

Little is known about tumor-related prognostic factors, in particular specific chromosomal abnormalities, in young patients with multiple myeloma (MM). We therefore investigated the chromosomal pattern by interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization (chromosomes 13q14, 14q32-translocations, chromosomes associated with hyperdiploidy) in 38 young patients with MM (age <45 yr) and compared the results with those observed in 69 patients with intermediate age (45-70 yr) and 64 elderly patients (age >70 yr). All chromosomal patterns were not significantly different between the three age cohorts. Similarly, standard MM parameters were equally distributed between these MM patient populations. However, survival by the International Staging System (ISS) for MM revealed marked differences between stage I/II (median survival not yet reached) and stage III (23.4 months; P < 0.0003) among young MM patients. A significant survival difference between ISS-stage I/II and ISS-stage III patients was also noted in the intermediate age group (median 65.4 months vs. 24.6 months; P = 0.0009). However, this difference disappeared among elderly MM patients (39.6 months in ISS-stage I/II vs. 32 months in ISS-stage III patients; P = 0.94), but it was unrelated to the cytogenetic pattern. Our results indicate that MM in young patients does not represent a distinct biologic entity, and that short survival of younger MM patients at ISS-stage III is independent of the molecular cytogenetic pattern.

Myeloma in patients younger than age 50 years presents with more favorable features and shows better survival: an analysis of 10 549 patients from the International Myeloma Working Group

“…This agrees with previous findings obtained in 2 smaller studies that did not reveal any association between cytogenetic aberrations and age in a cohort of 75 patients 24 and in another group of 172 patients. 25 In the latter study, similar frequencies of chromosomal aberrations have been observed in 3 cohorts of patients with different age definitions (younger than 45 years, 45 to 70 years, and older than 70 years) and in all ISS stages. This is in disagreement with a report that indicated a decreasing frequency of IgH translocations with increasing age.…”

“…The data were, however, not corrected for differences in general life expectancy between these age groups. Other studies such as the analysis of the data of International Blood and Bone Marrow Registry 16 in patients aged younger than 60 years and 60 years and older, and data from Little Rock 17 in patients aged younger (25) .034…”

More frequent IgD and reduced CD200 expression in Chinese patients younger than 50 years old with multiple myeloma: a multicenter analysis

“…The survival outcome reported in our study was similar to those of previous reports6,10,11 but was different from the results reported by Cheema et al,12 who found a trend toward prolonged OS and PFS in patients under the age of 50 only in patients treated with bortezomib.…”

“…Younger age has been reported to be correlated with improved survival and has been recognized as an important prognostic factor 6,10,11. However, when undergoing upfront autologous stem cell transplant, age below 40 years does not confer a superior prognosis in patients with MM 12.…”

Advances in the treatment of hematological malignancies: current treatment approaches in multiple myeloma

“…In the latter, dose reduction of bortezomib is not required, since plasma clearance is <90 min. Bortezomib and bortezomib-based regimens overcome the increased drug resistance inferred by cytogenetic risk factors [del13, t(4;14)] [17].…”