Cellular and Molecular Genetic Features of Myeloma and Related Disorders

This article provides an overview of the current state of knowledge concerning myeloma genetics. The paucity of information in patients with early disease is contrasted with the complexity of karyotypic findings in patients with advanced disease. The molecular changes are analyzed, both in terms of the expression of a monoclonal plasma cell phenotype, as well as the intrinsic biology of myeloma cell, including the effects of cytokines and cell-to-cell interactions.