1. Our Dana-Farber Experience Deirdre Foley & Matthew Murphy
2012 Student Research
Our Dana-Farber Experience
Deirdre Foley & Matthew Murphy

2. Our Dana-Farber Experience
Dr O Gorman (MIRT Mater Institute of Blood Cancer Research and Therapy) and Dr Anderson (Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston)
Dr McCann – Student Summer Research Awards
6-weeks student elective at DFCI – mixed clinical and research experience
1. Multiple Myeloma out-patient clinics
2. Oncology ward rounds at Brigham & Women’s hospital
3. Shadowing researchers in Dr Anderson’s lab
4. Development of own personal research projects

4. 1. Analysis of Tumour Marker Expression, Karyotype and Cytogenetic Mutations in Patients with Multiple Myeloma at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Matthew Murphy
Our aim: To analyse the Tumour markers and Cytogenetic profiles of patients with MM at DFCI.
Method: Data on 226 patient cohort with MM at DFCI collected. Analysis of the bone marrow aspirates taken for Flow Cytometry and Fluorescent In-situ Hybridisation (FISH) Cytogenetic Profiling was carried out.
Results: Relative frequency of Tumour markers and Cytogenetic mutations seen in tables.
Now that data has been collected for this specific cohort, collection of the patients’ circulating tumour cells (CTC) and analysis of the genetic mutations present in CTC will allow us to understand the pathology behind what makes MM cells metastasise.
Of particular note a closer analysis of p53 mutation may be interesting to compare as previous data suggest that p53 is key to metastasis.

5. Flow Cytometry & FISH Studies - Results
CONCLUSIONS
Flow revealed a population of cells that were positive for: CD CD
Cyto-Kappa+ and Lambda+ (confirming mono-clonicity)
FISH studies revealed that the most commonly affected genetic mutations within this cohort were:
Trisomies of Chromosomes 3,7,9,11,15.
Deletion of 14q32 was prevalent in 43% cases.
Interestingly -17p otherwise known as p53 down-regulation was observed in 11.3% of cases. This corresponds to other finding from previous studies.

6. 2. Occurrence of Extra-Medullary Disease in Multiple Myeloma – Analysis of a patient cohort at Dana Farber Cancer Institute Deirdre Foley
Collection of data from patient files (n=14)
Focus on-
1. PET-CT reports since diagnosis of Multiple Myeloma – EMD?
2. Plain film radiographs – Lytic bone disease?
3. Laboratory values at diagnosis
Haemoglobin
Creatinine
Serum Calcium
Beta-2 microglobulin .

7. Results-
Radiograph of the skull demonstrating a typical lytic lesion in multiple myeloma –( )
Most common sites of disease were Intra-abdominal and Sub-Cutaneous.
Correlation between bony plasmacytomas, lytic bone disease, and severity of Extra-medullary disease
View of plasmacytoma under microscopy -(

8. Our Dana-Farber Experience
Educational experience - Multiple Myeloma and other haematological malignancies in a both clinical and lab based environment
Novel therapeutic agents – bench to bedside care
Importance of international links
Necessity of research in medicine
Medicine in an international setting - differences in practice in US v Ireland

9. Time-out

10. Thank you to Dr O’Gorman, Dr Anderson and the Myeloma team at DFCI