title: Circulating plasma cells predict the outcome of relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma.
abstract: Pretreatment detection of peripheral blood malignant circulating plasma cells (CPCs) has been shown to be of negative prognostic value in multiple myeloma (MM). We hypothesized that the assessment of CPC kinetics in response to one therapy cycle using six-color flow cytometry could be helpful in the early detection of MM refractoriness to treatment. Forty-two patients with refractory or relapsed (RR) MM were enrolled. Median time to tumor progression (TTP) of 51 days and median overall survival (OS) of 308 days was shortest in patients whose CPCs with aberrant phentoype (aCPCs) did not decrease after one therapy cycle compared to patients with decreasing (median TTP 258 days and OS 856 days) or undetectable (median TTP 581 days and OS 1006 days) aCPCs (p < 0.001 and p = 0.007 for TTP and OS, respectively). Non-reduction of aCPCs in patients with RR MM after the first cycle of therapy may be useful in early identification of patients resistant to a given therapy.
authors.affiliation: Hematology, Oncology and Transfusion Medicine Center, Vilnius University Hospital Santariskiu Clinics, Vilnius, Lithuania. valdas.peceliunas@santa.lt
authors.forename: Valdas
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Peceliunas
authors.forename: Ausra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Janiulioniene
authors.forename: Reda
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Matuzeviciene
authors.forename: Tadas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zvirblis
authors.forename: Laimonas
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Griskevicius
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001897:Boronic Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000069286:Bortezomib; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D018450:Disease Progression; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009360:Neoplastic Cells, Circulating / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology*; D010950:Plasma Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology*; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011719:Pyrazines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012008:Recurrence; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D001897:Boronic Acids; D011719:Pyrazines; D000069286:Bortezomib; D003907:Dexamethasone; D004317:Doxorubicin