Grant: Operating Grant

Multiple Myeloma is a cancer of bone marrow cells that, despite recent advances in its treatments, remains incurable and deadly. The majority of patients with this disease develop bone disease characterized by lytic (holes) lesions in their bones, osteoporosis (weakened bones), fractures and pain. The current strategies for treating this complication are inadequate and merely reduce the rate of complications, they do not eliminate them. Key to the understanding of myeloma bone disease and to the promotion of new and effective treatment strategies is the development of a good animal model that faithfully recapitulates all aspects of human myeloma. Current models are all deficient in one crucial aspect or another. In this proposal we have preliminary evidence that a genetically manipulated mouse can reproducibly develop all facets of human multiple myeloma, including key aspects of its associated bone disease. We aim to further study this model in order to better understand the key events and processes that lead to bone lesions. We will also endeavour to try various strategies, based on our initial studies, to halt or even reverse myeloma bone disease. It is our hope that these studies and this model lead to new ways to study and treat myeloma bone disease.