Oncogenesis of Multiple Myeloma

Multiple myeloma (MM) represents a malignancy of differentiated B lymphocytes, which accumulate as clonal plasma cells in the bone marrow. Novel insights into the biology and molecular pathology of the disease have suggested that MM originates from a somatically mutated and isotype-switched follicle-center B cell that has retained its ability to differentiate into a plasma cell homing to the bone marrow. Initiation and progression of the disease is associated with multiple genetic and molecular aberrations, which are summarized in this chapter.