The Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF) is supporting an intensive and comprehensive longitudinal study (CoMMpass) designed to understand how in-depth clinical and molecular profiling can best be used in the context of therapy for multiple myeloma (MM). The patient population in this ongoing study is comprised of self-identified 93 African Americans (AAs) and 377 European Americans (EAs).
A preliminary comparison analysis of CoMMpass data demonstrated overall that there was no statistical difference (P = .5973) in the nonsilent mutation burden between the 2 patient groups—AAs (μ = 63.9 mutations/patient) versus EAs (μ = 73.7 mutations/patient). However, researchers observed that TP53 mutations were more common in EAs 5.6% (21/377) compared with AAs 2.1% (2/93). The analysis also revealed a novel mutation (PTCHD3) with 6% occurrence in AAs compared with only 0.04% in EAs. Several additional genes with higher mutation frequencies in tumors from AA patients were identified, including ANKRD26, BCL7A, and BRWD3. Conversely, the analysis demonstrated a lower frequency of 14q32 translocations in tumors from AA patients (10%) compared with tumors from EA patients (37%).
Data from this comprehensive diverse multi-institutional longitudinal study have allowed researchers to study population differences among MM patients in an unprecedented manner. Identification of potential differences in the genomic and molecular landscape of MM may help the oncology treatment community to further understand the incidence and outcomes among patients from AA versus EA populations.
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