Novel therapies in monoclonal gammopathies.

Overview

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a plasma cell malignancy with an incidence of approximately 20 000 cases per year. Over the past decade, the advent of novel therapies has resulted in a positive shift in survival for patients with advanced MM. Over the last decade progress has been made in the understanding of the mechanisms involved in myeloma cell proliferation, trafficking and survival. Through this understanding, molecular therapeutic targets have been identified and treatment programs which incorporate these concepts are beginning to appear. The current review does not intend to be a comprehensive compendium of available treatments rather to highlight the most exciting avenues of research in myeloma therapeutics. Novel immunomodulating drugs, proteasome inhibitors and monoclonal antibodies will be highlighted.