Targeting cancer stem cells in multiple myeloma

Emine Gulsen Gunes; Metin Gunes; Jianhua Yu; Murali Janakiram

doi:10.1016/j.trecan.2024.06.002

Targeting cancer stem cells in multiple myeloma

Trends Cancer. 2024 Aug;10(8):733-748. doi: 10.1016/j.trecan.2024.06.002. Epub 2024 Jul 5.

Authors

Emine Gulsen Gunes¹, Metin Gunes², Jianhua Yu³, Murali Janakiram⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope National Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 91010, USA; Judy and Bernard Briskin Center for Multiple Myeloma Research, City of Hope, Los Angeles, CA 91010, USA; Toni Stephenson Lymphoma Center, City of Hope, Los Angeles, CA 91010, USA. Electronic address: [email protected].
² Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope National Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 91010, USA.
³ Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope National Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 91010, USA; Department of Immuno-Oncology, Beckman Research Institute, Los Angeles, CA 91010, USA; Hematologic Malignancies Research Institute, City of Hope National Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 91010, USA; Comprehensive Cancer Center, City of Hope, Los Angeles, CA 91010, USA.
⁴ Department of Hematology, Division of Myeloma, City of Hope National Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 91010, USA.

PMID: 38971642
DOI: 10.1016/j.trecan.2024.06.002

Abstract

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a hematological malignancy of bone marrow (BM) plasma cells with excessive clonal expansion and is associated with the overproduction of light-chain or monoclonal immunoglobulins (Igs). MM remains incurable, with high rates of relapses and refractory disease after first-line treatment. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) have been implicated in drug resistance in MM; however, the evidence for CSCs in MM is not adequate, partly due to a lack of uniformity in the definitions of multiple myeloma stem cells (MMSCs). We review advances in understanding MMSCs and their role in drug resistance to MM therapies. We also discuss novel therapeutic strategies to overcome MMSC-mediated relapses and drug resistance.

Keywords: cancer stem cells; drug resistance; multiple myeloma; refractory; relapse.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Animals
Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology
Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use
Drug Resistance, Neoplasm*
Humans
Molecular Targeted Therapy / methods
Multiple Myeloma* / drug therapy
Multiple Myeloma* / pathology
Multiple Myeloma* / therapy
Neoplastic Stem Cells* / drug effects
Neoplastic Stem Cells* / metabolism
Neoplastic Stem Cells* / pathology

Substances

Antineoplastic Agents

Grants and funding

U01 CA207946/CA/NCI NIH HHS/United States