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1.
Lenalidomide Maintenance and Measurable Residual Disease in a Real-World Multiple Myeloma Transplanted Population Receiving Different Treatment Strategies Guided by Access to Novel Drugs in Brazil
Salgado, Abds, Magalhães, R. J. P., Pontes, R. M., Barbosa, E. D. S., Flores-Montero, J., Sanoja-Flores, L., Land, M. G. P., Pimenta, G., Dutra, H. D. S., Costa, E. S., et al
Cancers. 2023;15(5)
Abstract
Despite recent advances in multiple myeloma (MM), the incorporation of novel agents and measurable residual disease (MRD) monitoring in low-income countries remains a challenge. Although lenalidomide maintenance (M-Len) after autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) has been associated with improved outcomes and MRD has refined the prognosis of complete response (CR) cases, until now, there have been no data on the benefits of these approaches in Latin America. Here, we evaluate the benefits of M-Len and MRD using next-generation flow cytometry (NGF-MRD) at Day + 100 post-ASCT (n = 53). After ASCT, responses were evaluated based on the International Myeloma Working Group criteria and NGF-MRD. MRD was positive in 60% of patients with a median progression-free survival (PFS) of 31 months vs. not reached (NR) for MRD-negative cases (p = 0.05). The patients who received M-Len continuously had a significantly better PFS and overall survival (OS) than those without M-Len (median PFS: NR vs. 29 months, p = 0.007), with progression in 11% vs. 54% of cases after a median follow-up of 34 months, respectively. In a multivariate analysis, MRD status and M-Len therapy emerged as independent predictors of PFS (median PFS of M-Len/MRD(-) vs. no M-Len/MRD(+) of NR vs. 35 months, respectively; p = 0.01). In summary, M-Len was associated with improved survival outcomes in our real-world MM cohort in Brazil, with MRD emerging as a useful reproducible tool to identify patients at an earlier risk of relapse. The inequity in drug access remains a hurdle in countries with financial constraints, with a negative impact on MM survival.
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2.
Carfilzomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone or lenalidomide alone as maintenance therapy after autologous stem-cell transplantation in patients with multiple myeloma (ATLAS): interim analysis of a randomised, open-label, phase 3 trial
Dytfeld, D., Wróbel, T., Jamroziak, K., Kubicki, T., Robak, P., Walter-Croneck, A., Czyż, J., Tyczyńska, A., Druzd-Sitek, A., Giannopoulos, K., et al
The Lancet. Oncology. 2023
Abstract
BACKGROUND Lenalidomide is a cornerstone of maintenance therapy in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma after autologous stem-cell transplantation. We aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of maintenance therapy with carfilzomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone versus lenalidomide alone in this patient population. METHODS This study is an interim analysis of ATLAS, which is an investigator-initiated, multicentre, open-label, randomised, phase 3 trial in 12 academic and clinical centres in the USA and Poland. Participants were aged 18 years or older with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma, completed any type of induction and had stable disease or better, autologous stem-cell transplantation within 100 days, initiated induction 12 months before enrolment, and an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0 or 1. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) using permuted blocks of sizes 4 and 6 and a web-based system to receive up to 36 cycles of carfilzomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone (28-day cycles of carfilzomib 20 mg/m(2) administered intravenously in cycle one on days 1 and 2 then 36 mg/m(2) on days 1, 2, 8, 9, 15, and 16 in cycles one to four and 36 mg/m(2) on days 1, 2, 15, and 16 from cycle five up to 36 [per protocol]; lenalidomide 25 mg administered orally on days 1-21; and dexamethasone 20 mg administered orally on days 1, 8, 15, and 22) or lenalidomide alone (10 mg administered orally for the first three cycles and then at the best tolerated dose [≤15 mg for 28 days in 28-day cycles]) until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity as maintenance therapy. After 36 cycles, patients in both treatment groups received lenalidomide maintenance. Randomisation was stratified by response to previous treatment, cytogenetic risk factors, and country. Investigators and patients were not masked to treatment allocation. Patients in the carfilzomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone group with no detectable minimal residual disease after cycle six (as per International Myeloma Working Group criteria) and standard-risk cytogenetics were switched to lenalidomide maintenance as of cycle nine. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival in the intention-to-treat population (defined as all randomly assigned patients). Safety was analysed in all randomly assigned patients who received at least one dose of study treatment. This unplanned interim analysis was triggered by the occurrence of 59 (61%) of the expected 96 events for the primary analysis and the results are considered preliminary. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02659293 (active, not recruiting) and EudraCT, 2015-002380-42. FINDINGS Between June 10, 2016, and Oct 21, 2020, 180 patients were randomly assigned to receive either carfilzomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone (n=93) or lenalidomide alone (n=87; intention-to-treat population). The median age of patients was 59·0 years (IQR 49·0-63·0); 84 (47%) patients were female and 96 (53%) were male. With a median follow-up of 33·8 months (IQR 20·9-42·9), median progression-free survival was 59·1 months (95% CI 54·8-not estimable) in the carfilzomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone group versus 41·4 months (33·2-65·4) in the lenalidomide group (hazard ratio 0·51 [95% CI 0·31-0·86]; p=0·012). The most common grade 3 and 4 adverse events were neutropenia (44 [48%] in the carfilzomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone group vs 52 [60%] in the lenalidomide group), thrombocytopenia (12 [13%] vs six [7%]), and lower respiratory tract infections (seven [8%] vs one [1%]). Serious adverse events were reported in 28 (30%) patients in the carfilzomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone group and 19 (22%) in the lenalidomide group. One treatment-related adverse event led to death (respiratory failure due to severe pneumonia) in the carfilzomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone group. INTERPRETATION This interim analysis provides support for considering carfilzomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone therapy in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma who completed any induction regimen followed by autologous stem-cell transplantation, which requires confirmation after longer follow-up of this ongoing phase 3 trial. FUNDING Amgen and Celgene (Bristol Myers Squibb).
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3.
Maintenance lenalidomide in newly diagnosed transplant eligible and non-eligible myeloma patients; profiling second primary malignancies in 4358 patients treated in the Myeloma XI Trial
Jones, J. R., Cairns, D. A., Menzies, T., Pawlyn, C., Davies, F. E., Sigsworth, R., Brioli, A., Jenner, M. W., Kaiser, M. F., Olivier, C., et al
EClinicalMedicine. 2023;62:102099
Abstract
BACKGROUND Early trials of long-term lenalidomide use reported an increased incidence of second primary malignancy (SPM), including acute myeloid leukaemia and myelodysplastic syndrome. Later, meta-analysis suggested the link to be secondary to lenalidomide in combination with melphalan. METHODS Myeloma XI is a large, phase III randomised trial in-which lenalidomide was used at induction and maintenance, in transplant eligible (TE) and non-eligible (TNE) newly diagnosed patients (NCT01554852). Here we present an analysis of SPM incidence and profile the SPM type to determine the impact of autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) and lenalidomide exposure in 4358 patients treated on study. Data collection took place from the start of the trial in May 2010, to May 2019, as per the protocol timeline. The Median follow-up following maintenance randomisation was 54.5 and 46.1 months for TE and TNE patients, respectively. FINDINGS In the TE pathway, the overall SPM incidence was 7.7% in lenalidomide maintenance patients compared to 3.2% in those being observed (p = 0.006). Although the TNE lenalidomide maintenance patients had the greatest SPM incidence (15.4%), this was not statistically significant when compared to the observed patients (10%, p = 0.10).The SPM incidence was higher in patients who received lenalidomide at induction and maintenance (double exposure), when compared to those treated with lenalidomide at one time point (single exposure). Again, this was most marked in TNE patients where the overall SPM incidence was 16.9% in double exposed patients, compared to 11.7% in single exposed patients, and 11.2% in patients who did not receive lenalidomide (p = 0.04). This is likely an effect of treatment duration, with the median number of cycles being 27 in the TNE double exposed patients, vs 6 in the single exposure patients.Haematological SPMs were uncommon, diagnosed in 50 patients (incidence 1.1%). The majority of cases were diagnosed in TE patients treated with lenalidomide maintenance (n = 25, incidence 2.8%), suggesting a possible link with melphalan. Non-melanoma skin cancer incidence was highest in patients receiving lenalidomide maintenance, particularly in TNE patients, where squamous cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma were diagnosed in 5.5% and 2.6% of patients, respectively. The incidence of most solid tumour types was higher in lenalidomide maintenance patients.Mortality due to progressive myeloma was reduced in patients receiving lenalidomide maintenance, noted to be 16.6% compared 22.6% in those observed in TE patients and 32.7% compared to 41.5% in TNE patients. SPM related mortality was low, 1.8% and 6.1% in TE and TNE lenalidomide maintenance patients, respectively, compared to 0.4% and 2.8% in those being observed. INTERPRETATION This provides reassurance that long-term lenalidomide treatment is safe and associated with improved outcomes in TE and TNE populations, although monitoring for SPM development should be incorporated into clinic review processes. FUNDING Primary financial support was from Cancer Research UK [C1298/A10410].
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4.
Contribution of post-transplantation therapy to sustained MRD negativity in multiple myeloma: a retrospective analysis
Suzuki, K., Gunji, T., Kawashima, M., Uryu, H., Nagao, R., Momoki, M., Yokoyama, H., Ishii, H., Tanoue, S., Saito, T., et al
International journal of hematology. 2023
Abstract
Post-transplantation therapy is commonly performed in patients with myeloma and can prolong progression-free survival (PFS). However, whether post-transplantation therapy contributes to achieving and continuing MRD-negativity remains controversial. This retrospective analysis aimed to evaluate the clinical impact of post-transplantation therapy, including tandem autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT), in myeloma patients. The subjects were 79 patients (median age: 62 years) who received induction therapy, including bortezomib and/or lenalidomide, of whom 58 underwent post-transplantation therapy. At the median follow-up time of 50 months, the 4-year PFS rate was significantly higher in patients who underwent post-transplantation therapy than those who did not (60.6% vs. 28.6%, P = 0.012). Multivariate analysis revealed post-transplantation therapy to be a significant prognostic factor for long PFS. Tandem ASCT followed by consolidation and/or maintenance therapies improved PFS and OS. The minimal residual disease (MRD)-negative rate was significantly higher in patients who underwent post-transplantation therapy than those who did not (50.9% vs. 16.7%, P = 0.006). Post-transplantation therapy contributed to sustained MRD-negativity, which predicted long PFS and overall survival. Patients frequently discontinued post-transplantation therapy due to adverse events within 4 months. In conclusion, post-transplantation therapy improved PFS and contributed to sustained MRD-negativity in myeloma patients.
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5.
Increased CXCL10 is seen at 1-year after autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation in multiple myeloma patients on maintenance lenalidomide therapy
Mohan, M., Janz, S., Brazauskas, R., Dwinell, M. B., Teng, B. Q., Yun, G., Dong, J., Pasquini, M. C., Giralt, S., Landau, H., et al
Bone marrow transplantation. 2023
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6.
Autologous-allogeneic versus autologous tandem stem cell transplantation and maintenance therapy with thalidomide for multiple myeloma patients less than 60 years of age: a prospective phase II study
Kröger, N., Wulf, G., Hegenbart, U., Burchert, A., Stelljes, M., Gagelmann, N., Brecht, A., Kaufmann, M., Müller, L., Ganser, A., et al
Haematologica. 2023
Abstract
The role of autologous-allogeneic tandem stem cell transplantation (alloTSCT) followed by maintenance as upfront treatment for multiple myeloma (MM) is controversial. Between 2008 and 2014 a total of 217 MM patients with a median age of 51 years were included by 20 German centers within an open-label, parallel-group, multi-center clinical trial to compare alloTSCT to auto tandem transplantation TSCT (autoTSCT) followed by a 2-year maintenance therapy with thalidomide (100 mg/d) in both arms with respect to relapse/progression-free survival (PFS) and other relevant outcomes. A total of 178 patients underwent second SCT (allo n = 132 and auto n = 46). PFS at 4 years after the second SCT was 47% (CI: 38-55%) for alloTSCT and 35% (CI: 21-49%) for autoTSCT (p = 0.26). This difference increased to 22% at 8 years (p = 0.10). The cumulative incidences of non-relapse mortality (NRM) and of relapse at 4 years were 13% (CI: 8-20%) and 2% (CI: 0.3-2%) (p = 0.044) and 40% (CI: 33-50%) and 63% (CI: 50-79%) for alloTSCT and autoTSCT (p = 0.04), respectively. The difference for relapse/progression increased to 33% (alloTSCT: 44%, autoTSCT: 77%) at a median follow-up of 82 months (p = 0.002). Four-year OS was 66% (CI: 57-73%) for alloTSCT and 66% (CI: 50-78%) for auto TSCT (p = 0.91) and 8-year OS was 52% and 50% (p = 0.87), respectively. AlloTSCT followed by thalidomide maintenance reduced the rate of recurrence or progression during a follow-up period of up to 10 years but failed to improve PFS significantly.
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7.
Polyclonal immunoglobulin recovery in patients with newly diagnosed myeloma receiving maintenance therapy after autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplantation with either carfilzomib, lenalidomide and dexamethasone or lenalidomide alone: Subanalysis of the randomized phase 3 ATLAS trial
Kubicki, T., Dytfeld, D., Wróbel, T., Jamroziak, K., Robak, P., Czyż, J., Tyczyńska, A., Druzd-Sitek, A., Giannopoulos, K., Szczepaniak, T., et al
British journal of haematology. 2023
Abstract
Previous studies suggest that postautologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) recovery of polyclonal immunoglobulin from immunoparesis in patients with multiple myeloma is a positive prognostic marker. We performed a longitudinal analysis of polyclonal immunoglobulin concentrations and unique B-cell sequences in patients enrolled in the phase 3 ATLAS trial that randomized 180 subjects to either carfilzomib, lenalidomide, dexamethasone (KRd) or lenalidomide (R) maintenance. In the KRd arm, standard-risk patients with minimal residual disease negativity after six cycles de-escalated to R alone after cycle 8. One year from the initiation of maintenance at least partial recovery of polyclonal immunoglobulin was observed in more patients on the R arm (58/66, p < 0.001) and in those who de-escalated from KRd to R (27/38, p < 0.001) compared to the KRd arm (9/36). In patients who switched from KRd to R, the concentrations of uninvolved immunoglobulin and the number of B-cell unique sequences increased over time, approaching values observed in the R arm. There were no differences in progression-free survival between the patients with at least partial immunoglobulin recovery and the remaining population. Our analysis indicates that patients receiving continuous therapy after ASCT experience prolonged immunoparesis, limiting prognostic significance of polyclonal immunoglobulin recovery in this setting.
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8.
Three Years Maintenance with VRD in Multiple Myeloma: Results of Total Therapy IIIB with a 15-Year Follow Up
Al Hadidi, S., Ababneh, O., Schinke, C., Thanendrarajan, S., Bailey, C., Smith, R. T., Panozzo, S., Alapat, D. Md, Cottler-Fox, M., Tricot, G. J., et al
Blood advances. 2023
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Editor's Choice
Abstract
The TTIIIB phase II study incorporated bortezomib into tandem melphalan-based hematopoietic stem cell transplantation with dexamethasone, thalidomide, cisplatin, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, and etoposide for induction/consolidation and bortezomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone (VRD) for maintenance in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (MM). This updated analysis presents a 15.4-year median follow-up. Of 177 patients, 21% patients had gene expression profile (GEP)-defined high-risk MM. 15-year progression free survival (PFS) was 27.9%. Median PFS was better in GEP-defined low-risk patients at 7.8 years and in international stage system stage I patients at 8.7 years. Overall, median OS was 9.1 years, and 15-year overall survival (OS) was 35.9%. GEP-defined low-risk patients' median OS was 11.2 years, and that of GEP-defined high-risk patients was 2.8 years. There was no difference in OS between TT IIIB and TT IIIA. This study includes the longest follow-up of patients treated with maintenance VRD reported to date. In patients with GEP-defined low-risk, nearly half and one-third of patients without ongoing treatment showed no signs of progression at 10 and 15 years, respectively. One-third of patients survived more than 15 years, but 3 years of VRD maintenance did not improve outcomes for patients with GEP-defined high-risk MM.
PICO Summary
Population
Adults from a single centre in USA with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma, enrolled in the Total Therapy (TT) IIIB trial between 2006 and 2008, (n=177)
Intervention
Bortezomib incorporated into tandem melphalan-based hematopoietic stem cell transplantation with dexamethasone, thalidomide, cisplatin, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, and etoposide for induction/consolidation and bortezomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone (VRD) for maintenance. Three years of VRD maintenance (TT IIIB, n=177)
Comparison
Comparison cohort received one year of bortezomib, thalidomide, and dexamethasone followed by two years of thalidomide and dexamethasone (TD) maintenance (TT IIIA group)
Outcome
15-year progression free survival (PFS) in TTIIIB was 27.9%. Median PFS was better in Gene expression profile (GEP)-defined low-risk patients at 7.8 years and in international stage system stage I patients at 8.7 years. Overall, median overall survival (OS) was 9.1 years, and 15-year OS was 35.9%. GEP-defined low-risk patients' median OS was 11.2 years, and that of GEP-defined high-risk patients was 2.8 years. There was no difference in OS between TT IIIB and TT IIIA.
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9.
Clinical Characteristics and Prognosis of Secondary Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in Patients with Multiple Myeloma during Long-Term Thalidomide Maintenance
Liu, J., Huang, B., Gu, J., Li, J.
Journal of personalized medicine. 2023;13(3)
Abstract
Background: Secondary primary malignancies (SPM) have attracted increasing attention with the application of autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (ASCT) and novel agents in multiple myeloma (MM). Secondary acute lymphoblastic leukemia (sALL) has rarely been reported, and the clinical characteristics and prognosis of sALL have not been described in detail. Methods: We retrospectively enrolled 179 consecutive newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM) patients undergoing bortezomib-based induction regimens followed by upfront ASCT and maintenance therapy from December 2006 to April 2018 in our center. Results: The median follow-up interval was 69.1 months, and 12 patients (6.7%) developed sALL during maintenance therapy. The median time from the diagnosis of MM to the occurrence of sALL was 51.1 (31.7-91.5) months. All sALL patients received thalidomide as maintenance therapy before the onset of sALL, and the median duration of thalidomide maintenance was 39.5 (24-74) months. The cumulative incidence of sALL was 6.6% and 11.2% at 5 and 10 years after the diagnosis of MM, respectively. All sALL patients presented with a B-cell immunophenotype accompanied by myeloid antigen expression according to flow cytometry analysis, and the BCR/ABL fusion gene was all negative. Only one patient had evidence of active MM, and the other patients were in stable status at the time of the diagnosis of sALL. The prognosis of most sALL patients was very poor, and the median overall survival time was 11.9 (1.1-51.2) months since the diagnosis of sALL. Conclusions: sALL should be considered for MM patients who developed unexplained persistent cytopenia while on long-term thalidomide maintenance treatment, particularly if it has been more than 3 years. With the increasing availability of new drugs for MM, thalidomide may be recommended for no more than 3 years. Sequential allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation was considered as soon as possible after achieving remission in order to achieve a longer survival.
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10.
Lenalidomide and dexamethasone with or without ixazomib maintenance tailored by residual disease status in myeloma
Rosiñol, L., Oriol, A., Ríos-Tamayo, R., Blanchard, M. J., Jarque, I., Bargay, J., Hernandez Garcia, M. T., Cabañas, V., Carrillo-Cruz, E., Sureda, A., et al
Blood. 2023
Abstract
From November 2014 to May 2017, 332 patients homogeneously treated with VRD induction, ASCT and VRD consolidation were randomized to receive maintenance therapy with RD (161 patients) vs IRD (171 patients). RD consisted of lenalidomide 15 mg/d from days 1-21 plus dexamethasone 20 mg/d on days 1-4 and 9-12 at 4-weeks intervals while in the IRD arm oral ixazomib at a dose of 4 mg on days 1,8, and 15 was added. MRD negative patients after 24 cycles were discontinued while those who were MRD positive remained on maintenance with RD for 36 more cycles. The MRD negativity from baseline increased from 50.9% to 71.8% with RD and from 59.6% to 72.4% with IRD at 2 years. After a median follow-up of 69 months from the initiation of maintenance, the PFS was similar in both arms, median not reached in either arm with a 6-years PFS rate of 61.3% and 55.6% for RD and IRD, respectively (HR 1.136 [95% CI 0.809 - 1.603]). No significant differences in PFS between RD and IRD were observed in any prognostic subgroup. After 2 years of maintenance, treatment was discontinued in 163 patients who were MRD negative while 63 MRD positive patients were continued on RD therapy. Maintenance discontinuation in MRD negative patients resulted in a low progression rate (17.2% at 4 years), even in patients with high-risk features. In summary, our results show the efficacy of RD maintenance and support the safety of maintenance discontinuation in MRD negative patients at 2 years. This trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02406144) and EudraCT (2014-00055410).