UNMC docs part of myeloma study in New England Journal

Warren Sanger, Ph.D.

Dennis Weisenburger, M.D.

There are some families that, for whatever reason, have higher incidences of myeloma than others.

Researchers from UNMC, Creighton University School of Medicine and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences want to know why.

In July, the research team published the results of a study pursuing answers to this question in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Dennis Weisenburger, M.D., a professor in the department of pathology and microbiology, and Warren Sanger, Ph.D., professor and director of the human genetics laboratory at the Munroe-Meyer Institute, joined principal investigator Henry Lynch, M.D., professor and chairman of preventive medicine and public health, and director of the Hereditary Cancer Institute at Creighton, among others, on the study.

The group looked at one particular black family in which there are five cases of multiple myeloma — a cancer of the blood — and five others who had prostate cancer.

One goal of the study was to determine if there were specific biomarkers among the family members that would indicate a prevelance to developing cancer.

“We looked for specific genetic biomarkers for multiple myeloma to see if there were any common DNA changes that were specific to the family chosen for the study,” Dr. Sanger said. “What we found is that there are inherited genes that exist in some families, which predispose them to an increased risk for multiple myeloma and certain other cancers.”

Multiple myeloma accounts for about 10 percent of all cancers of the blood and is most frequent in people age 65 and older. While the cause of the disease is unknown, a small fraction of patients have familial myeloma and there is a higher incidence of the disease in blacks than whites.

Dr. Sanger said he hopes the study will increase awareness to the medical community about the importance of monitoring cancer in family members for early disease.

“We also reviewed the usefulness of certain biomarkers for early diagnosis of multiple myeloma, which will also, hopefully, provide more information to help improve treatment of this deadly disease,” he said.