A review of second primary malignancy in patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma treated with lenalidomide.
In a retrospective pooled analysis of 11 clinical trials of lenalidomide-based therapy for relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (MM; N = 3846), the overall incidence rate (IR, events per 100 patient-years) of second primary malignancies (SPMs) was 3.62. IR of invasive (hematologic and solid tumor) SPMs was 2.08, consistent with the background incidence of developing cancer. In a separate analysis of pooled data from pivotal phase 3 trials of relapsed or refractory MM (N = 703), the overall IR of SPMs was 3.98 (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.51-6.31) with lenalidomide/dexamethasone and 1.38 (95% CI, 0.44-4.27) with placebo/dexamethasone; IRs of nonmelanoma skin cancers were 2.40 (95% CI, 1.33-4.33) and 0.91 (95% CI, 0.23-3.66), respectively; IRs of invasive SPMs were 1.71 (95% CI, 0.86-3.43) and 0.91 (95% CI, 0.23-3.66), respectively. The risk of SPMs must be taken into account before initiating lenalidomide treatment. In the context of the observed survival benefit in relapsed or refractory MM patients, the benefit/risk profile of lenalidomide/dexamethasone remains positive.
Department of Clinical Therapeutics, University of Athens School of Medicine, Athens, Greece. mdimop@med.uoa.gr
Meletios A
MA
Dimopoulos
Paul G
PG
Richardson
Nancy
N
Brandenburg
Zhinuan
Z
Yu
Donna M
DM
Weber
Ruben
R
Niesvizky
Gareth J
GJ
Morgan
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D000077269:Lenalidomide; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D016609:Neoplasms, Second Primary / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013792:Thalidomide / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D013792:Thalidomide; D000077269:Lenalidomide