Klin Onkol 2014; 27(1): 18-23. DOI: 10.14735/amko201418.
Summary
Multiple myeloma (MM) and Waldenström macroglobulinemia (WM) are malignant disorders of B lymphocytes. These diseases are characterized by monoclonal immunoglobulin production and bone marrow infiltration, which further lead to disease manifestation mainly via osteolytic lesions and disruption of hematopoiesis. The bone marrow microenvironment plays a crucial role in pathogenesis of both of these diseases, as it is well known that interaction between malignant cells and bone marrow cells facilitates both survival and growth of these tumor cells. The interactions are mediated by several different factors, including cytokines. Their production leads to tumor cell growth, proliferation and survival contributing to pathogenesis of MM and WM. In this review, we focus on function of the most important cytokines in both these diseases.
