Multiple Myeloma Presenting in Patients Younger than 50 Years of Age: A Single Institution Experience.
INTRODUCTION
Multiple myeloma (MM) is uncommon in persons younger than 50 years of age. The presenting features in this age group are unclear.


METHODS
We analyzed a cohort of patients <50 years of age with MM treated in our center.


RESULTS
Twenty-three patients at a median age of 41.5 years (range 27-49) were analyzed. Patients presented at International Staging System (ISS) I-II (79%), had high frequency of bone lytic lesions (89%), extramedullary disease (26%), light-chain myeloma (45%), and translocation t(11;14) (68%). The subpopulation of patients carrying t(11;14) were younger (p = 0.025). This subgroup had higher bone marrow infiltration of plasma cells (75 vs. 47.5%), higher incidence of proteinuria (2.9 vs. 0.19 g/day), and poorer response to therapy: 85.7% of patients achieving complete/very good partial remission after induction therapy did not have t(11;14). A trend toward inferior progression-free survival (PFS) was observed in patients with t(11; 14) compared to patients without this translocation (median PFS 18 and 36 months, respectively).


DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION
Translocation t(11; 14) seems to be more prevalent in young myeloma patients. Young myeloma patients and especially those who harbor translocation t(11; 14) may represent a distinct clinical entity that confers a poor outcome.
['Duek|Adrian|A|', 'Trakhtenbrot|Luba|L|', 'Avigdor|Abraham|A|', 'Nagler|Arnon|A|', 'Leiba|Merav|M|']
D000328:Adult D000367:Age Factors D017668:Age of Onset D015415:Biomarkers D002869:Chromosome Aberrations D003131:Combined Modality Therapy D005260:Female D006801:Humans D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence D008297:Male D008875:Middle Aged D009101:Multiple Myeloma D009367:Neoplasm Staging D011379:Prognosis D062486:Public Health Surveillance D016896:Treatment Outcome D055815:Young Adult
Myeloma t(11 14) Young patients