Panel sequencing for clinically oriented variant screening and copy number detection in 142 untreated multiple myeloma patients

We employed a customized Multiple Myeloma (MM)-specific Mutation Panel (M(3)P) to screen a homogenous cohort of 142 untreated MM patients for relevant mutations in a selection of disease-specific genes. M(3)Pv2.0 includes 77 genes selected for being either actionable targets, potentially related to drug-response or part of known key pathways in MM biology. We identified mutations in potentially actionable genes in 49% of patients and provided prognostic evidence of STAT3 mutations. This panel may serve as a practical alternative to more comprehensive sequencing approaches, providing genomic information in a timely and cost-effective manner, thus allowing clinically oriented variant screening in MM.