Impact of bortezomib-based versus lenalidomide maintenance therapy on outcomes of patients with high-risk multiple myeloma. Cancer Bumma, N., Dhakal, B., Fraser, R., Estrada-Merly, N., Anderson, K., Freytes, C. O., Hildebrandt, G. C., Holmberg, L., Krem, M. M., Lee, C., Lekakis, L., Lazarus, H. M., Mian, H., Murthy, H. S., Nathan, S., Nishihori, T., Parrondo, R., Patel, S. S., Solh, M., Strouse, C., Vesole, D. H., Kumar, S., Qazilbash, M. H., Shah, N., D'Souza, A., Sidana, S. 2023

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Lenalidomide maintenance after autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) in multiple myeloma (MM) results in superior progression-free survival and overall survival. However, patients with high-risk multiple myeloma (HRMM) do not derive the same survival benefit from lenalidomide maintenance compared with standard-risk patients. The authors sought to determine the outcomes of bortezomib-based maintenance compared with lenalidomide maintenance in patients with HRMM undergoing ASCT.METHODS: In total, the authors identified 503 patients with HRMM who were undergoing ASCT within 12months of diagnosis from January 2013 to December 2018 after receiving triplet novel-agent induction in the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research database. HRMM was defined as deletion 17p, t(14;16), t(4;14), t(14;20), or chromosome 1q gain.RESULTS: Three hundred fifty-seven patients (67%) received lenalidomide alone, and 146 (33%) received bortezomib-based maintenance (with bortezomib alone in 58%). Patients in the bortezomib-based maintenance group were more likely to harbor two or more high-risk abnormalities and International Staging System stage III disease (30% vs. 22%; p=.01) compared with the lenalidomide group (24% vs. 15%; p<.01). Patients who were receiving lenalidomide maintenance had superior progression-free survival at 2years compared with those who were receiving either bortezomib monotherapy or combination therapy (75% vs. 63%; p=.009). Overall survival at 2years was also superior in the lenalidomide group (93% vs. 84%; p=.001).CONCLUSIONS: No superior outcomes were observed in patients with HRMM who received bortezomib monotherapy or (to a lesser extent) in those who received bortezomib in combination as maintenance compared with lenalidomide alone. Until prospective data from randomized clinical trials are available, post-transplant therapy should be tailored to each patient with consideration for treating patients in clinical trials that target novel therapeutic strategies for HRMM, and lenalidomide should remain a cornerstone of treatment.

View details for DOI 10.1002/cncr.34778

View details for PubMedID 37021929