Similar Outcomes of Three Different Treatment Regimens Reported in Multiple Myeloma

the Cancer Therapy Advisor take:

Three salvage infusional chemotherapy regimens produced similar responses, survival, and adverse events in patients with multiple myeloma, according to an article published online in the journal Cancer.

In a single-institution study,  three salvage chemotherapy regimens were compared among 107 patients with recurrent multiple myeloma who were treated using one of three salvage chemotherapy regimens.

Fifty-two patients received dexamethasone, cyclophosphamide, etoposide, and cisplatin (DCEP) cohort; 22 received bortezomib, thalidomide, dexamethasone, cisplatin, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, and etoposide (VTD-PACE) treatment group; and 33 patients received cyclophosphamide, vincristine, doxorubicin, and dexamethasone (CVAD).

There were some differences between groups. For example, patients treated with CVAD had a higher baseline creatinine (P<0.001) and those treated with VTD-PACE had greater prior use of infusional chemotherapy (P<0.001).

Regarding patient response, no significant differences were reported among the three groups (55% overall; P=0.18).

Similarly, no significantly different outcomes were reported for survival among the three groups: overall median progression-free survival of 4.5 months (95% CI: 3.6, 5.5 months; P=0.8) and a median overall survival of 8.5 months (95% CI: 6.1, 11 months; P=0.8). DCEP, VTD-PACE, and CVAD demonstrated similar clinical adverse events; however, it was noted that DCEP was suggested as having fewer events.

Sixty-two percent of patients with the intent to transplant were successfully bridged to transplant without further therapy (P=0.9).

Furthermore, the intent-to-transplant population had greater response outcomes (OR, 3.40; P=0.01), superior progression-free survival (HR, 0.28; P<0.001), and increased overall survival (HR, 0.19; P<0.001).