Precision Medicine in Myeloma: Current, Past and Future

Dear Colleagues,

We are delighted to announce a call for submissions to a Special Issue of Cancers on the topic of “Precision Medicine in Myeloma: Current, Past and Future” 

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a plasma cell dyscrasia arising from malignant transformation of plasma cells. It is usually preceded by monoclonal gammopathy of uncertain significance (MGUS). Despite the availability of numerous newer therapies in the last two decades, this biologically heterogenous disease remains largely incurable with variable disease course and susceptibility to treatment. To date, there is no therapy targeting specific patient groups based on molecular characteristics and biomarkers, and drug-refractory relapses invariably occur. In recent years, advances in technology and treatment have enabled the development of novel strategies for predicting survival and progression risk in myeloma. These approaches have the potential to transform the management of these diseases by enabling the implementation of precision medicine strategies tailored to individual patient needs.

Aims:

• To provide an overview of recent advances in genomic and transcriptomic profiling for the prediction of survival and progression risk in myeloma;
• To discuss the role of bioinformatics and machine learning in integrating multiple data sources and developing predictive models;
• To review novel targeted therapies and immunotherapies for myeloma and their potential applications in improving survival and outcome;
• To explore clinical trial design and implementation of precision medicine strategies for patients at high risk of relapse and progression;
• To highlight the clinical implications of predicting survival and progression risk for patient management and outcomes. 

Topics may include but are not limited to the following:

• Genomic and transcriptomic profiling for the prediction of survival and progression risk in myeloma, including risk stratification models;
• Bioinformatics and machine learning approaches for integrating multiple data sources and developing predictive models, including artificial intelligence and deep learning techniques;
• Novel targeted therapies and immunotherapies for myeloma, including CAR-T cell therapy, bispecific antibodies, and checkpoint inhibitors;
• Precision medicine strategies for patients at high risk of progression, including early intervention and personalized therapeutic approaches;
• Clinical implications of predicting survival and progression risk for patient management and outcomes, including risk-adapted treatment strategies and quality of life measures. 

We encourage submission of both original research articles and topical reviews. All submitted articles will undergo peer review. 

Dr. Chung Hoow Kok
Dr. Cindy H. S. Lee
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Cancers is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• myeloma
• MGUS
• progression
• machine learning
• immune checkpoint
• therapy
• CAR-T cell
• genomics
• transcriptomics
• bioinformatics
• clinical trials
• personalized medicine
• survival prediction
• progression risk