title: Retrospective comparison of bortezomib-containing regimens with vincristine-doxorubicin-dexamethasone (VAD) as induction treatment prior to autologous stem cell transplantation for multiple myeloma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Patients with multiple myeloma (MM) achieving high-quality responses, defined as a complete response (CR) and a very good partial response (VGPR) after transplant, benefit from high-dose therapy followed by autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT). Induction pre-transplantation treatment with vincristine, doxorubicin and dexamethasone (VAD) is currently being replaced by new targeted agents with high anti-myeloma activity. The use of these novel agents may increase the CR + VGPR rate before ASCT, which may improve post-transplantation responses and survival.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a retrospective analysis of 69 patients with MM who received bortezomib-containing regimens (n = 30) or VAD (n = 39) before collection of peripheral blood stem cells and ASCT.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Objective response rate (at least a partial response) prior to ASCT was documented in 27 (90%) of 30 and 31 (81.6%) of evaluable 38 patients with bortezomib-containing regimens and VAD, respectively. The difference between the two groups was not significant (P = 0.494). However, the high-quality response rate with VGPR or more in the bortezomib group was significantly higher compared with the VAD group (66.7% vs. 34.2%, respectively, P = 0.006). The superiority of bortezomib-containing regimens in the high-quality response rate remained significant for only the newly diagnosed patients (n = 16, P = 0.008). The engraftment data as well as stem cell harvesting were comparable between the two groups. The major bortezomib-related toxicities were thrombocytopenias and peripheral neuropathies; toxicities of VAD were hematologic and infectious. After ASCT, the difference between the two groups did not reach the level of statistical significance with respect to progression-free survival and overall survival (P = 0.498 and 0.835, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this retrospective comparison of bortezomib-containing regimens with the VAD as induction treatment prior to ASCT for MM provided a demonstration of the superiority of bortezomib therapy in terms of achieving a high-quality response. However, survivals following ASCT did not differ according to the induction regimens.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, St Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, Youngdungpo-Gu, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyeon-Seok
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Eom
authors.forename: Chang-Ki
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Min
authors.forename: Byung-Sik
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Seok
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jong-Wook
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Woo-Sung
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Min
authors.forename: Chun-Choo
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Myungshin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Yonggoo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001897:Boronic Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000069286:Bortezomib; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D011719:Pyrazines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012074:Remission Induction; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014750:Vincristine / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D001897:Boronic Acids; D011719:Pyrazines; D014750:Vincristine; D000069286:Bortezomib; D003907:Dexamethasone; D004317:Doxorubicin