Multiple Myeloma (MM) remains a cancer of terminally-differentiated plasma cells that reside predominantly within the bone marrow. Malignant plasma cells are nurtured by a permissive microenvironment that favors tumor progression, drug resistance and disease relapse. Recurrent somatic mutations in hematopoietic stem cells, the source of major components in bone marrow niche, lead to age-associated clonal hematopoiesis of indetermined potential (CHIP) and has been associated with inferior survivals among individuals without malignant hematologic disorders. It is possible that these mutations in non-MM cells would affect remission time after transplant. We performed whole-exome sequencing to identify CHIP-associated mutations within the autograft utilized to rescue hematopoiesis after high dose melphalan and autologous hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT). We then correlated the presence of CHIP with the outcome of MM patients (pts) following autologous HCT.

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