(HealthDay News) — Minimal residual disease (MRD) negativity is predictive of longer time to next treatment (TTNT) in patients with multiple myeloma (MM), according to a study published in Blood Cancer Journal.
Researchers conducted a retrospective analysis of 186 MM patients who underwent frontline autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT). On day 100 post-ASCT, patients underwent PET-CT and MRD evaluation with next-generation sequencing.
The researchers found that 24.2% of patients achieved MRD negativity at day 100. MRD negativity was the factor that best predicted longer TTNT.
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There was no difference observed in rates of MRD negativity according to MM subtype, revised International Staging System stage, or cytogenetic risk. Regardless of baseline characteristics, patients with sustained MRD negativity had longer TTNT.
Poor agreement was seen for PET-CT and MRD, with MRD-positive patients having high rates of PET-CT negativity.
“These results add to the growing evidence for using MRD to improve the International Myeloma Working Group definition of complete response and its role as a strong prognostic marker for clinical trials,” the study authors wrote.
Several authors disclosed financial ties to the biopharmaceutical industry.
