Aggressive neoplastic plasma cell growth with MLL gene rearrangement after high-dose therapy with autologous stem cell support for multiple myeloma

Bone Marrow Transplant. 2001 Mar;27(5):555-8. doi: 10.1038/sj.bmt.1702817.

Abstract

We report a case of a patient with IgA kappa multiple myeloma (MM) mobilized with etoposide and subsequently receiving high-dose melphalan (HDM) with stem cell support. She relapsed rapidly post transplantation. Southern blot and fluorescent in situ hybridization analysis showed MLL gene rearrangement in the myeloma cells, which was not detected in the sample at diagnosis or in the PBSC harvested with etoposide plus G-CSF. These observations suggest that clonal rearrangement of the MLL gene is caused by etoposide. Patients with MM undergoing HDM with stem cell rescue may be at an increased risk of not only secondary leukemia, but also secondary genetic abnormalities in myeloma cells, especially those receiving priming with etoposide for peripheral blood stem cell collection.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / administration & dosage
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / adverse effects
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / administration & dosage
  • Cell Division / drug effects
  • Cytogenetic Analysis
  • Etoposide / administration & dosage
  • Etoposide / adverse effects*
  • Female
  • Gene Rearrangement / drug effects
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation
  • Humans
  • Middle Aged
  • Multiple Myeloma / genetics*
  • Multiple Myeloma / pathology
  • Multiple Myeloma / therapy*
  • Plasma Cells / drug effects
  • Plasma Cells / pathology
  • Recurrence
  • Transplantation, Autologous

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic
  • Etoposide