Familial monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance and multiple myeloma: epidemiology, risk factors, and biological characteristics
Cette étude américaine analyse l'épidémiologie, les facteurs de risque et les caractéristiques biologiques d'une gammapathie monoclonale familiale de signification indéterminée, un précurseur du myélome multiple
Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS), a precursor to multiple myeloma, is one of the most common premalignant conditions in the general population. The etiology of MGUS is largely unknown. Recent studies show that there is an increased prevalence of MGUS in blood relatives of individuals with lymphoproliferative and plasma cell proliferative disorders, suggesting presence of shared underlying genetic influences. In the past few years, additional studies have examined risk factors and biological characteristics that may contribute to the increased prevalence of MGUS among relatives of probands with MGUS, multiple myeloma (MM), and other blood malignancies. This manuscript reviews the known epidemiology and risk factors of familial MGUS and myeloma, the risk of lymphoproliferative disorders and other malignancies among blood-relatives of patients with MGUS and MM, and discusses future directions for research.