Monoclonal Gammopathy of Undetermined Significance (MGUS) is a precancerous condition affecting ~3.5 million Americans. Other than active surveillance, there is no treatment to prevent MGUS from progressing into cancers, the vast majority of which are incurable.
Abbreviations:
MM: multiple myeloma
AL amyloidosis: amyloid light-chain amyloidosis
NHL: non-Hodgkin lymphoma
CLL: chronic lymphocytic leukemia
WM: Waldenström macroglobulinemia
Focusing on immunologically and chemically targeted agents that prevent or intercept the oncogenic process in patients with MGUS or smoldering diseases, CAP-IT MGUS is one of the few in the nation to facilitate the development of innovative agents against high-value targets in MGUS patients and thereby establish a foundational infrastructure to fast-track precision medicines for cancer prevention and interception.
CAP-IT MGUS is a collaborative effort bringing together research teams from three institutes: Baylor College of Medicine (BCM), University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) and Duke University (Duke).
Administrative Core (BCM, UAMS, & Duke)
Project 1 (UAMS)
Project 2 (BCM & Duke)
Bioinformatics Core (UAMS)
The hypothesis is that cancer-driving molecules and the bone marrow microenvironment promoting MGUS progression are suitable targets for precision cancer prevention and interception.
To achieve the main objective of the CAP-IT MGUS program, three key aims have been identified:
Aim 1: Functionally validate several oncotargets in tumor initiation and progression to invasive cancer and ascertain their suitability for targeted intervention strategies.
Aim 2: Discover innovative immuno- and chemo-prevention and interception agents through in vitro and in vivo efficacy evaluation.
Aim 3: Develop new projects for cancer preventive or interceptive interventions against MGUS progression.
The center proposed two projects that collectively address the above aims.
The Principal Investigator of CAP-IT MGUS is Dr. Yong Li from Baylor College of Medicine.
