Objective.To investigate the frequency of p16a nd p15gene methylation in multiple myeloma （MM）

and its relationship with bone marrow ce ll apoptosis and clinical outcome.Methods.Twenty-two patients with MM were stu died to detect p16and p15gene methylation.Methyla-tion-specific polymerase chain rea ction（MSP）was used to detect gene methylation

and terminal trans-ferase-mediated dUTP nick end-labeling（TUNEL）was used to detect cell apoptosis.Results.p16and /or p15gene methylatoin was d etected in 10of 22patients（45.4%）.There were 3pa-tients with p16gene methylation

9p atients with p15gene methylation

a nd 2patients with both genes methyla-tion.The incidence of methylation o f p15gene was higher than that of p16g ene（P<0.05）.The patients with p16and /or p15gene methylation had a delayed cell apoptosis

poor respon se to chemotherapy

and a short over-all survival（OS）.Conclusion.The methylation of p16and /or p15gen e plays a key role in MM apoptosis path ogenesis.The patients with both p16and p15gene me thylation had a poor prognosis.