New Test Helps Predict Prognosis in Multiple Myeloma

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 15 Jul 2015

A new genetic activity microarray-based test helps with accurate prognosis for patients with multiple myeloma and enables clinicians to adjust their treatment accordingly.

SkylineDx (Rotterdam, Netherlands), a spin-off of Erasmus Medical Center, now offers its MMprofiler assay, an innovative diagnostic test based on gene expression signatures with high clinical value. It measures activity of 92 genes that are directly or indirectly related to the disease. Measurements across different studies have repeatedly shown robustness and predictable outcome, thereby creating a test that is more reliable than traditional methods. Based on the resulting genetic profile, clinicians can better predict how the disease will progress and better inform their patients.

Image: The MMprofiler – an gene expression signatures test that helps to accurately predict prognosis for patients with multiple myeloma and to provide information that could improve clinical treatment decisions (Photo courtesy of SkylineDx).

"The key to a successful doctor-patient relationship is good communication—it isn’t rocket science. Ask and involve them, be honest, and listen very carefully to what they have to say," says Mr. Eric Low, CEO of Myeloma UK, a patient advocacy group.

"We want to be able to predict disease progress based on the genetic properties of the malignant cell. While the current methods accommodate this need to some extent, it makes more sense to mark all genes involved in the incidence of multiple myeloma at once. Based on the profile generated, we can then divide patients based on their better or poorer prognosis," said Prof. Dr. Sonneveld of Erasmus Medical Center, who recently received the Robert A. Kyle Lifetime Achievement Award for his work on multiple myeloma. Between 20%–25% of patients have a poorer prognosis and the overall survival of these patients is on average 4 times lower. Several guidelines, such as mSMART, recommend that multiple myeloma patients be treated in accordance with their prognosis.

MMprofiler is the only standardized and validated all-in-one assay for multiple myeloma that uses new genetic signatures.

In USA, MMprofiler is currently available for research only.

Related Links:
SkylineDx
MMprofiler Assay