Understanding why some people develop myeloma

Myeloma is a blood cancer that affects white blood cells called plasma cells. It often develops from a blood condition called MGUS. Most people with MGUS don’t go on to develop myeloma but a small number of people do, and we still don’t know why this is. Those living with MGUS are often simply told to wait and return if things change, leaving many people without clear answers about what might happen next.

In this project, Dr Goudswaard and her team will investigate two key factors they believe may drive the development of myeloma. The team believe that proteins circulating in the blood may act as early warning signals that myeloma is starting to develop. They will study this using samples from a study in Iceland, which has tracked over 75,000 people aged over 40 with MGUS. They will also look at lifestyle factors, such as body weight, physical activity and sleep, drawing on health records and data from hundreds of thousands of people across the UK. By studying levels of protein in the blood and lifestyle data, Dr Goudswaard and the team plan to identify which factors are most likely to cause people with MGUS to go on to develop myeloma in the future.

If successful, this research could transform how people with MGUS are monitored and cared for. By identifying proteins in the blood and lifestyle factors that increase knowledge on the likelihood of someone developing myeloma, individuals most at risk could be monitored more closely, while those at lower risk could be reassured. In the longer term, these findings could also lead to new ways of preventing myeloma from developing in the first place through the development of new treatments and or lifestyle changes.