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The standard of care for newly diagnosed patients with multiple myeloma (MM) eligible for transplant is high-dose chemotherapy induction, followed by autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (auto-HSCT) and lenalidomide (Len) maintenance therapy (MT) to prolong remission. Due to frequent and severe side effects, Len MT dosing is often reduced, yet the dose-response relationship of Len MT has not been fully described.
Roland Fenk and colleagues from Germany have recently published the results from their multicenter phase III trial (NCT00891384), in which patients were randomized to receive high- or low-dose Len MT. The study, published in Cancer Research, aimed to assess the efficacy and tolerability of two extreme Len doses, and share experience-based recommendations for the optimal MT with Len.1
Recommended guidelines to optimize Len maintenance therapy1 |
|
Patients were 18–75 years old, diagnosed with MM, and treated with ≤ 6 cycles of induction (not with Len), up to 2 cycles for mobilization, and auto-HSCT (between 90–120 days) before trial entry. Patient randomization was stratified by International Staging System (ISS) stage, age at diagnosis, and response after high-dose chemotherapy. All enrolled patients received Len at a dose of 25 mg/day for 21 days, every 28 days for 6 months (Len6), and then continued with their assigned dose: the high-dose arm moved onto Len MT at a dose of 25 mg/day, and the low-dose arm began Len MT at 5 mg/day. Maintenance therapy was prescribed until disease progression or limiting toxicity (Figure 1).
The primary outcome of the study was progression-free survival (PFS), and secondary endpoints included overall survival (OS), response rates, adverse events (AE), and incidence of secondary primary malignancies.
Figure 1. Study design1
auto, autologous; HSCT, hematopoietic stem cell transplant; Len, lenalidomide; MT, maintenance therapy.
Table 1. Patient characteristics
|
|
High-dose arm (n = 94) |
Low-dose arm (n = 94) |
auto, autologous; CR, complete response; FISH, fluorescence in situ hybridization; HDCT, high-dose chemotherapy; HSCT, autologous stem cell transplantation; ISS, International Staging System; LC, light chain; MR/SD, minimal response/stable disease; PR, partial response; VGPR, very good partial response. * Defined as: amp(1q), t(4;14), t(14; 16), del(17p). |
|||
Age, years |
median (range) |
58 (33–71) |
58 (30–72) |
|
≤ 65, % |
77 |
77 |
Subtype, % |
IgG |
60 |
58 |
|
IgA |
20 |
17 |
|
LC |
21 |
23 |
|
Other |
0 |
2 |
ISS-stage, % |
I |
54 |
57 |
|
II |
27 |
20 |
|
II |
19 |
23 |
FISH cytogenetic risk, % |
Standard |
27 |
22 |
|
High* |
16 |
15 |
|
Unknown |
57 |
63 |
Chronic kidney disease stage, % |
1 and 2 |
76 |
72 |
|
3 |
8 |
14 |
|
4 |
5 |
5 |
|
5 (dialysis) |
11 |
9 |
Induction therapy with bortezomib, % |
|
81 |
85 |
|
Median no. cycles (range) |
3 (1–6) |
3 (1–6) |
Response after HDCT, % |
CR |
16 |
28 |
|
VGPR |
49 |
37 |
|
PR |
29 |
32 |
|
MR/SD |
6 |
3 |
Time from diagnosis to baseline, months |
Median (range) |
10 (7–19) |
11 (5–21) |
Table 2. Response rates in treatment arms over the study course. All values are % unless otherwise specified1
Arm |
High-dose arm |
Low-dose arm |
||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CR, complete response; Len, lenalidomide; Len6, Len 25 mg/day for 21 days, every 28 days for 6 months; MR/SD, minimal response/stable disease; MT, maintenance; ORR, overall response rate; rand., randomization; sCR, stringent complete response; VGPR, very good partial response. |
||||||||||
Timepoint |
Rand. |
Len6 |
Len MT |
Rand. |
Len6 |
Len MT |
||||
Time, years |
0 |
0.5 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
0 |
0.5 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
Response |
Patients, % |
|||||||||
sCR |
6 |
23 |
30 |
21 |
15 |
9 |
19 |
18 |
15 |
13 |
CR |
10 |
12 |
13 |
7 |
4 |
19 |
21 |
17 |
13 |
6 |
VGPR |
49 |
35 |
21 |
13 |
6 |
37 |
27 |
12 |
7 |
3 |
PR |
29 |
21 |
14 |
11 |
5 |
32 |
24 |
14 |
7 |
2 |
MR/SD |
6 |
4 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
Still receiving Len |
– |
– |
72 |
44 |
24 |
– |
– |
52 |
34 |
15 |
The research team concluded that their data demonstrate an enhanced PFS (of approximately 1 year) with a high-dose Len MT, and that there is a trend towards improved OS, but that this comes with increased hematological toxicities. The investigators also highlighted that although dose reductions were frequent in the high-dose arm, AEs resulting in discontinuation of treatment were similar in both groups, and the high-dose arm had a significantly longer duration of treatment. They state that the maximum tolerated dose varies and should be up-/down-titrated on a case by case basis. The recommended guidelines to optimize Len maintenance therapy are given at the start of this article, see above.
References
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