Gene Expression Profile (GEP) SKY92 Test for High-Risk Myeloma

High-risk myeloma can be difficult to diagnose and treat. How can doctors consistently and accurately identify high-risk myeloma to more effectively deliver treatments that may not be considered for people with lower-risk myeloma? 

Dr. Martin Kaiser and his colleagues from The Royal Marsden Hospital in London, UK, believe a gene expression profiling (GEP) test, called SKY92, can aid in the diagnosis and management of high-risk, stem cell transplant-eligible, myeloma patients. 

Let’s break down the test and what you need to know about its potential to change the high-risk myeloma landscape. 

What is High-Risk Myeloma and What are the Benefits of Accurately Diagnosing It? 

People with high-risk multiple myeloma often require more aggressive treatment and tend to have quicker relapse rates than those with standard-risk myeloma. 

A proper, early diagnosis of high-risk myeloma can improve your outcomes by altering the treatment decision-making process, enabling access to the most effective therapies, and increasing your chances of a successful response. 

High-risk myeloma can be categorized based on the genetic features of myeloma cells. High-risk myeloma types comprise certain gene translocations, deletions, or gains like t(4;14), t(14;16), t(14;20), del(17p), gain(1q), and del(1p). 

About 25% of people with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma experience disease relapse even after receiving high-dose melphalan and autologous stem cell transplant. These individuals are categorized as having high-risk myeloma, regardless of genetic classification. 

Other forms of high-risk myeloma include plasma cell leukemia, extramedullary disease, and central nervous system myeloma. Click here to learn more about myeloma genetics from HealthTree University.

In order to achieve this quick and accurate diagnosis, the goal is to standardize how high-risk myeloma is screened. 

This can increase the chances of consistently finding high-risk myeloma types and optimizing treatments for these people. SkylineDx developed a gene expression profiling (GEP) test called SKY92 to identify these high-risk myeloma features. 

What is the SKY92 Test? 

The SKY92 test examines the activity of 92 genes linked to myeloma and sorts individuals into different risk categories. By pinpointing high-risk myeloma accurately, doctors can customize more targeted treatments right from the start, potentially leading to better health outcomes. 

The British Society for Haematology recommends that doctors use the SKY92 test to assess high-risk myeloma genetic features. 

Myeloma specialists from the United States, Drs. Saad Usmani, MD, and Kenneth Anderson, MD, also agree that "The SKY92 signature is the only fully accredited GEP signature and has consistent performance in detecting high-risk in myeloma” -Frontiers. 

How Can SKY92 Improve Clinical Trials?

Clinical trials like the UK OPTIMUM/MUKnine and GMMG-CONCEPT studies have incorporated the SKY92 test to classify high-risk myeloma better and guide their treatment choices. 

Results from these trials show that people with high-risk myeloma, identified by the SKY92 test, benefit from more intense treatment strategies not typically given to lower-risk patients. This ensures that those with more aggressive forms of the disease receive stronger treatment early on, improving their chances of living longer without the disease worsening. 

Using the SKY92 test in clinical trials also improves how new treatments are evaluated. By selecting people genetically more likely to have poor outcomes, researchers can better determine how effective new treatments are, potentially accelerating the development of effective options for these individuals. 

Conclusion

The SKY92 test marks a significant step forward in effectively diagnosing and anticipating treatment for people with high-risk multiple myeloma. As medical science continues to move toward more targeted treatment options, accurately classifying patients based on their genetic risk is crucial. 

See Your Myeloma Genetic Profile in HealthTree Cure Hub 

We invite you to click the button below to create a free HealthTree Cure Hub account. After securely connecting your medical records, you’ll be able to view your myeloma genetic profile. 

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Sources: 

• Diagnosis and initial treatment of transplant-eligible high-risk myeloma patients: A British Society for Haematology/UK Myeloma Society Good Practice Paper
• Gene Expression Profiling in Multiple Myeloma: Redefining the Paradigm of Risk-Adapted Treatment