MEK and MAF in myeloma therapy

Despite increased understanding of molecular pathogenesis of multiple myeloma and implementation of therapies such as bortezomib and thalidomide, only 10% of patients survive more than 10 years after diagnosis. Until recently, new therapies for myeloma have not been developed based on a detailed understanding of the molecular pathology of the disease. In this issue of Blood, Annunziata et al report a rationale for the use of mitogen-activated or extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (MEK) inhibitors in the subset of myeloma patients expressing high levels of the MAF oncogene.