Stem cells make multiple myeloma resistant

Baltimore -- U.S. scientists said cancer stem cells for multiple myeloma make the bone marrow cancer resistant to chemotherapy and other treatments.

The finding by the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center, published in the journal Cancer Research, may explain why the disease is so hard to treat, the university said Friday in a release.

Johns Hopkins scientists said researchers need to look for treatments that overcome the cells' drug resistance.

"Nature made normal stem cells very hearty for a reason, namely to survive and help repair damaged tissues and organs after injury or illness," lead investigator Dr. William Matsui said. "To us, it makes sense that the same processes that protect normal stem cells also exist in cancer stem cells to make them resistant to chemotherapy."

Copyright 2008 by United Press International.