Investigators have explored the multifaceted nature of multiple myeloma and the potential of targeted therapies to treat patients with the disease, as summarized in a review published by Lu et al in Molecular Biomedicine.
Background
Multiple myeloma is a complex hematologic malignancy with significant unmet needs. Although conventional therapies have been capable of improving patient survival, the disease remains incurable.
Study Methods and Results
In the review, the investigators examined the roles of the key signaling pathways that drive multiple myeloma pathogenesis—including the PI3K/AKT/mTOR, RAS/MAPK, JAK/STAT, Wnt/beta-catenin, and NF-kB pathways. The investigators demonstrated how aberrant activation of these pathways may contribute to the proliferation, survival, migration, and drug resistance of multiple myeloma cells.
Further, the investigators detailed advances in the development of immunotherapies for multiple myeloma such as monoclonal antibodies, antibody-drug conjugates, bispecific antibodies, immune checkpoint inhibitors, chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells, CAR natural killer cells, and T-cell receptor–engineered T cells that target specific pathways and antigens in the disease. They assessed the mechanisms of action of these therapies, their efficacy in clinical trials, and the challenges that remain in their development.
Conclusions
Although the findings highlighted the signaling pathways’ potential to serve as therapeutic targets, the investigators emphasized the need for more research to develop these treatments; enhance the specificity and efficacy of targeted therapies; evaluate combination therapies; and overcome challenges like high treatment costs, resistance mechanisms, and side effects. They concluded that personalizing treatment regimens in individual patients may be critical to improving survival.
Disclosure: For full disclosures of the study authors, visit link.springer.com.
