Stem cell transplantation in multiple myeloma: impact of response failure with thalidomide or lenalidomide induction.
Autologous stem cell transplantation as a platform for multiple myeloma treatment is the standard of care for patients who can safely withstand the procedure. Before novel agents were introduced, one-third to one-half of patients did not achieve partial response at transplantation. Previous medical literature has shown that in this past era, absence of initial response to induction therapy had no impact on progression-free survival and overall survival after high-dose therapy. Lack of response to initial induction did not preclude a good response after stem cell transplantation. With the introduction of novel agents-immunomodulatory drugs and proteasome inhibitors-response rates with initial therapy are now between 70% and 100%. This retrospective study analyzes progression-free survival and overall survival in patients who do not have a partial response (never responded or progressed during continuous therapy) after induction therapy with a regimen that contains thalidomide or lenalidomide. Unlike patients in reports published previously-before immunomodulatory drugs-patients who do not achieve partial remission have a significantly shorter overall survival from transplantation (73.5 vs 30.4 months) and a shorter progression-free survival (22.1 vs 13.1 months; P < .001). Absence of a response to induction therapy with thalidomide or lenalidomide predicts a poorer outcome after high-dose therapy.
Gertz
Morie A
MA
Division of Hematology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA. gertz.morie@mayo.edu
Kumar
Shaji
S
Lacy
Martha Q
MQ
Dispenzieri
Angela
A
Dingli
David
D
Hayman
Suzanne R
SR
Buadi
Francis K
FK
Hogan
William J
WJ
D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D005260:Female; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D000077269:Lenalidomide; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013792:Thalidomide / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D013792:Thalidomide; D000077269:Lenalidomide