UNDERSTANDING THE ROLES OF EXTRACELLULAR VESICLES IN MULTIPLE MYELOMA

Multiple myeloma is an incurable blood cancer. Recently, analyses of blood (i.e., liquid biopsy) have generated significant interest due to their potential for the characterization of tumors with a rapid and non-invasive procedure. Extracellular vesicles (EVs), particles that can serve as valuable markers (liquid biomarkers) for tumor characterization and monitoring of disease, can be detected from blood of myeloma patients. EVs contain proteins that may be used to diagnose myeloma. Furthermore, EVs promote changes in stromal cells and play key roles in metastasis formation. Inhibiting the EV function may represent a new potential therapeutic strategy for myeloma.