title: Bendamustine in heavily pre-treated multiple myeloma patients: Results of a retrospective analysis from the Korean Multiple Myeloma Working Party.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Bendamustine may be a potential treatment option for patients with myeloma, but little is known about the utility of bendamustine as a salvage treatment, especially in Asian patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a multicenter retrospective study of patients with relapsed or refractory myeloma who received bendamustine and prednisone.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The records of 65 heavily pre-treated patients, who had undergone bortezomib and lenalidomide treatment (median number of previous treatments: 5), were analyzed. The median time from diagnosis to bendamustine treatment was 3.8 years, and the median patient age was 63 years (range, 38‒77 yr). The responses to the last treatment before bendamustine were refractory disease (N=52, 80%) or disease progression from partial response (N=13, 20%). Twenty-three patients responded to the treatment, with an overall response rate of 35% (23/65), and the median number of bendamustine treatment cycles was two (range, 1‒5 cycles). The median overall survival after bendamustine treatment was 5.5 months and the overall survival rate in responders to bendamustine was significantly better than that in non-responders (P=0.036).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Bendamustine may be a potential salvage treatment to extend survival in a select group of heavily pre-treated patients with relapsed or refractory myeloma.
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Seok Jin
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Korea.
authors.forename: Soo-Mee
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Bang
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Korea.
authors.forename: Yoon Seok
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Korea.
authors.forename: Deog-Yeon
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Jo
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jin Seok
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Hematology-Oncology Clinic, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyewon
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Hematology-Oncology Clinic, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyeon Seok
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Eom
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Dok Hyun
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Cheolwon
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Suh
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology-Oncology, Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital, Hwasun, Korea.
authors.forename: Je-Jung
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Gachon University School of Medicine, Incheon, Korea.
authors.forename: Junshik
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Gachon University School of Medicine, Incheon, Korea.
authors.forename: Jae Hoon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Youngil
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Koh
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Kihyun
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Sung-Soo
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Chang-Ki
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Min
keywords: Bendamustine; Myeloma; Response; Survival; Toxicity