Abstract
Multiple myeloma (MM) is a plasma cell neoplasm characterized by an abnormal proliferation of clonal, terminally differentiated B lymphocytes. Current approaches for the treatment of MM focus on developing new diagnostic techniques; however, the search for prognostic markers is also crucial. This enables the classification of patients into risk groups and, thus, the selection of the most optimal treatment method. Particular attention should be paid to the possible use of immune factors, as the immune system plays a key role in the formation and course of MM. In this review, we focus on characterizing the components of the immune system that are of prognostic value in MM patients, in order to facilitate the development of new diagnostic and therapeutic directions.
Highlights
The tumour necrosis factor (TNF) family is a group of cytokines that includes a number of proteins, including TNF-α, B-cell activating factor belonging to TNF family (BAFF), and receptor activator of NF-κB (RANK) [24]
As far as MM treatment is concerned, it has been shown that IFN-γ induces CD20 expression on multiple myeloma bone marrow plasma cell (BMPC) and B-cells, which may be a facilitating factor for the use of rituximab, which binds to MM BMPCs and may serve as the direction of serotherapy in the chosen group of patients [88]
High levels of sIL-6R are associated with shorter survival; elevated levels of IL-6 and sIL-6R reflect the level of disease activity and indicate poor prognosis; high cellular expression of IL-6 mRNA in Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) patients may predict the development of MM
Summary
Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. In the course of MM, the overproduction of monoclonal proteins (M-proteins) is observed, which accumulate in the serum and urine This condition causes the occurrence of extensive disease symptoms, including anaemia, hypercalcemia, and kidney and bone damage, as well as immunosuppression [3]. These data make this neoplasm the second-most common haematological malignancy. This disease mainly affects people over 65 years of age, where the median age of patients at diagnosis is 70 years old [6]. We describe immunological markers that have prognostic value in patients with MM, in order to organize the current state of knowledge to aid in the development of new diagnostic and therapeutic directions
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