Recent Advances in the Management of Smoldering Multiple Myeloma.

There is remarkable progress in the treatment of multiple myeloma (MM) with significant improvement in survival in the past 10 years. Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) and smoldering multiple myeloma (SMM) can evolve into symptomatic multiple myeloma (sy-MM) with organ involvement. SMM has associated with a much higher progression to MM compared to MGUS.

Ibrutinib for B cell malignancies.

Research over the role of Bruton's agammaglobulinemia tyrosine kinase (BTK) in B-lymphocyte development, differentiation, signaling and survival has led to better understanding of the pathogenesis of B-cell malignancies. Down-regulation of BTK activity is an attractive novel strategy for treating patients with B-cell malignancies. Ibrutinib (PCI-32765), a potent inhibitor of BTK induces impressive responses in B-cell malignancies through irreversible bond with cysteine-481 in the active site of BTK (TH/SH1 domain) and inhibits BTK phosphorylation on Tyr223.

A case of phosphaturic mesenchymal tumor.

Phosphaturic mesenchymal tumors (PMTs) are rare and found to be commonly associated with phosphaturia and oncogenic osteomalacia. They commonly affect middle-aged adults and are located mostly in the extremities. Most of them are benign with only a few metastatic cases described in the literature.

MEK and the inhibitors: from bench to bedside.

Four distinct MAP kinase signaling pathways involving 7 MEK enzymes have been identified. MEK1 and MEK2 are the prototype members of MEK family proteins. Several MEK inhibitors are in clinical trials.