A study, funded by Myeloma UK, has identified a link between overexpression of EZH2 and high risk myeloma. The results, published in the Blood Cancer Journal, demonstrate that patients with high levels of EZH2 expression had shorter overall survival and response to treatment compared to patients with low levels of EZH2 expression, regardless of treatment.
EZH2 is a histone methyltransferase that silences genes responsible for cell cycle regulation, and it has been found to be overexpressed or mutated in many different cancers.
Based upon the results from this study, the researchers from the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR), London, have suggested that EZH2 may be a potential therapeutic target for myeloma patients, particularly for those with high risk myeloma.