The role of the tumor Microenvironment for multiple Myeloma Disease Progression and Drug Resistance

Multiple myeloma is a cancer caused by accumulation of malignant plasma cells in the bone marrow. The main clinical manifestations are immune suppression, anemia, hypercalcemia and erosive bone destruction. The development of new drugs has increased survival time significantly the past decade, but multiple myeloma is still an incurable disease. Hypoxia and a low grade, chronic inflammation characterize the myeloma bone marrow. In this presentation I will discuss how interactions between different components of the tumor microenvironment regulate differentiation, proliferation and survival of the malignant plasma cells and vice versa: how the tumor cells may modulate the function and differentiation of immune cells and bone cells.