Figure 1 Methylation‐specific polymerase chain reaction of death‐associated protein kinase (DAPK) , p16, suppressor of high‐copy PP1 (SHP1), E‐cadherin (ECAD) and oestrogen receptor (ER) genes in monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) and multiple myeloma (MM). Samples tested were marrow aspirates obtained at diagnosis. The sequences for primers were DAPK (methylated, forward: 5′‐GGA TAG TCG GAT CGA GTT AAC GTC‐3′, reverse: 5′‐CCC TCC CAA ACG CCG A‐3′; unmethylated, forward: 5′‐GGA GGA TAG TTG GAT TGA GTT AAT GTT‐3′, reverse: 5′‐CAA ATC CCT CCC AAA CAC CAA‐3′), p16 (methylated, forward: 5′‐TTA TTA GAG GGT GGG GCG GAT CGC‐3′, reverse: 5′‐GAC CCC GAA CCG CGA CCG TAA‐3′; unmethylated, forward: 5′‐TTA TTA GAG GGT GGG GTG GAT TGT‐3′, reverse: 5′‐TTA TTA GAG GGT GGG GTG GAT TGT‐3′), SHP1 (methylated, forward: 5′‐GAA CGT TAT TAT AGT ATA GCG TTC‐3′, reverse: 5′‐TCA CGC ATA CGA ACC CAA ACG‐3′; unmethylated, forward: 5′‐GTG AAT GTT ATT ATA GTA TAG TGT TTG G‐3′, reverse: 5′‐TTC ACA CAT ACA AAC CCA AAC AAT‐3′), E‐cadherin (methylated, forward: 5′‐GTG GGC GGG TCG TTA GTT TC‐3′, reverse: 5′‐CTC ACA AAT ACT TTA CAA TTC CGA CG‐3′; unmethylated, forward: 5′‐GGT GGG TGG GTT GTT AGT TTT GT‐3′, reverse: 5′‐AAC TCA CAA ATC TTT ACA ATT CCA ACA‐3′) and oestrogen receptor (methylated, forward: 5′‐CGA GTT GGA GTT TTT GAA TCG TTC‐3′, reverse: 5′‐CTA CGC GTT AAC GAC GAC CG‐3′; unmethylated: forward: 5′‐ATG AGT TGG AGT TTT TGA ATT GTT T‐3′, reverse: 5′‐ATA AAC CTA CAC ATT AAC AAC AAC CA‐3′). MW, molecular weight markers; U, unmethylated MSP; M, methylated MSP; B, reagent blank; N, normal negative control; P, methylated positive control; S1–S4, four MGUS marrow samples; M1–M4, four primary myeloma marrow samples.