A newly discovered protein may help doctors spot the most aggressive cases of multiple myeloma before the disease becomes harder to treat.
Researchers from the University of Adelaide and SA Pathology report that measuring a protein called Desmoglein-2, or DSG2, could improve the way doctors predict a patient’s outlook.
Their findings were published in the British Journal of Haematology.
Multiple myeloma develops in plasma cells inside the bone marrow. These cells normally produce antibodies that protect the body from infection.
As cancer develops, abnormal plasma cells crowd out healthy blood cells, weaken bones, and interfere with the immune system.
Although modern medicines have greatly extended survival for many patients, multiple myeloma usually returns after treatment.
One of the biggest challenges is identifying patients whose cancer is likely to become aggressive. Existing genetic tests help, but they cannot accurately predict every patient’s future.
To search for better warning signs, the research team studied medical and genetic information from 678 newly diagnosed patients. They compared the amount of DSG2 found in patients’ cancer cells with their long-term health outcomes.
The researchers found a clear pattern. People with the highest DSG2 levels had a much greater risk of their disease getting worse and a higher chance of dying earlier than patients with low DSG2 levels. The protein remained an accurate predictor even after accounting for several other important risk factors.
The findings suggest that DSG2 could work alongside current diagnostic tests instead of replacing them. By adding another source of information, doctors may be able to identify patients whose disease is more dangerous than it first appears.
According to the researchers, recognizing these high-risk patients quickly is important because treatment decisions made soon after diagnosis can influence long-term outcomes. Earlier identification may allow doctors to choose stronger or more personalized treatment plans for patients who need them most.
The scientists are also interested in learning whether DSG2 is simply a warning sign or whether it actively helps the cancer grow. If the protein plays a direct role in disease progression, it could become a target for future drugs designed specifically for high-risk myeloma.
The study highlights how precision medicine is changing cancer care by using biological markers to guide treatment decisions. Instead of giving every patient the same approach, doctors increasingly aim to match therapies to the unique features of each person’s cancer.
These results are encouraging because they identify a possible new tool for improving the care of people with multiple myeloma. However, larger studies are still needed to confirm the findings before DSG2 testing becomes widely available in hospitals.
If future research is successful, this simple protein marker could help doctors detect aggressive disease earlier and improve survival by tailoring treatment more precisely.
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Source: University of Adelaide.
