The survival rate of multiple myeloma (MM) patients has drastically increased recently as a result of the wide treatment options now available. Younger patients truly benefit from these innovations as they can support more intensive treatment, such as autologous stem cell transplant or multiple drug association (triplet, quadruplet). The emergence of immunotherapy allowed new combinations principally based on monoclonal anti-CD38 antibodies for these patients. Still, the optimal induction treatment has not been found yet. While consolidation is still debated, maintenance treatment is now well acknowledged to prolong survival. Lenalidomide monotherapy is the only drug approved in that setting, but many innovations are expected. Older patients, now logically named not transplant-eligible, also took advantage of these breakthrough innovations as most of the recent drugs have a more acceptable safety profile than previous cytotoxic agents. For this heterogenous subgroup, geriatric assessment has become an essential tool to identify frail patients and provide tailored strategies. At relapse, options are now numerous, especially for patients who were not treated with lenalidomide, or not refractory at least. Concerning lenalidomide refractory patients, approved combinations are lacking, but many trials are ongoing to fill that space. Moreover, innovative therapeutics are increasingly being developed with modern immunotherapy, such as chimeric antigen receptor T-cells (CAR-T cells), bispecific antibodies, or antibody–drug conjugates. For now, these treatments are usually reserved to heavily pre-treated patients with a poor outcome. MM drug classes have tremendously extended from historical alkylating agents to current dominant associations with proteasome inhibitors, immunomodulatory agents, and monoclonal anti-CD38/anti SLAMF7 antibodies. Plus, in only a couple of years, several new classes will enter the MM armamentarium, such as cereblon E3 ligase modulators (CELMoDs), selective inhibitors of nuclear export, and peptide–drug conjugates. Among the questions that will need to be answered in the years to come is the position of these new treatments in the therapeutic strategy, as well as the role of minimal residual disease-driven strategies which will be a key issue to elucidate. Through this review, we chose to enumerate and comment on the most recent advances in MM therapeutics which have undergone major transformations over the past decade.
Background Streptococcus pneumoniae infection causes morbidity and mortality in multiple myeloma patients. Pneumococcal vaccination is commonly given to immunocompromised myeloma patients; however response data are sparse. Here, we present longitudinal response data to pneumococcal vaccination in multiple myeloma patients. Method Twenty‐eight multiple myeloma patients were included, 25 of whom were newly diagnosed. All the patients received two vaccines Prevnar13® and Pneumo23®. Serotype‐specific IgG was measured by ELISA for all 23 vaccine serotypes at baseline, and then sequentially at different time points postvaccination until treatment ended. Response to vaccination is available for 20 patients. The primary endpoint was the incidence rate of patients who obtained an isotype response serum concentration after vaccination. Secondary endpoints included detailed isotype increase, time to first increase, further assessment of a decreased anti‐pneumococcal serum concentrations following treatment including autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT), rate of infection with a special attention to pneumococcal infection. Results The median age was 66 years and the male to female ratio was 0.6. Anti‐pneumococcal capsular polysaccharide (anti‐PCP23) IgG, IgG2, IgA, and IgM responses were detected within 1 week postvaccination. Response to at least one subtype of antibody was obtained in 85% (n = 17) of patients, for at least two subtypes in 65% (n = 13), for at least three subtypes in 55% (n = 11), and 2 patients responded to all four subtypes. The median increase in the concentration of anti‐PCP23 isotypes was threefold following vaccination, with the highest increase observed when Pneumo23® was given more than 30 days after Prevnar13®. The anti‐pneumococcal geometric mean concentration decreased significantly for all subtypes over time independently of treatment approaches. Conclusion Myeloma has the ability to demonstrate a response to pneumococcal vaccine, independently of preexisting hypogammaglobulinemia and possibly of treatment‐induced immunodepression. We also observed a drop in the serum response overtime and following autologous transplantation. Further studies in larger sample are needed to understand the benefit of vaccination strategies in these patients.
PurposeMultiple myeloma (MM) remains an incurable disease as tumor cells ultimately resist to all available drugs. Homing of tumor cells to the bone marrow microenvironment, involving especially the CXCR4/SDF-1 axis, allows them to survive, proliferate and resist to therapy. F50067, a humanized anti-CXCR4 IgG1 antibody, has promising preclinical activity in MM.We present a phase I multicenter escalation study in relapsed/refractory MM (RRMM) to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) for F50067 alone and in combination with lenalidomide and low dose dexamethasone (Len-Dex).Experimental design14 end-stage RRMM patients received F50067 single agent (n = 10) or in combination with Len-Dex (n = 4).ResultsOne dose-limiting toxicity was observed, a grade 4 neutropenia lasting more than 7 days in combination arm. MTD could not be established. Thrombocytopenia was observed in 100% and neutropenia in 92.9% of patients with no cases of febrile neutropenia and no severe bleeding or hematoma. Non-hematological adverse events were of mild to moderate severity.Nine patients (6 in single arm and 3 in combination arm) were evaluable for response, with 66.7% overall response rate (≥PR) in combination arm, and 33.3% of disease control (≥SD) in single agent arm. At the time of study termination, 55.6% had progressed.ConclusionThis study suggests that egression of tumor cells to the blood stream can represent a novel therapeutic strategy for MM. However, because of significant hematological toxicity, this study had to be discontinued. Further studies are needed to validate the feasibility of this approach in clinical practice.
Preservation of fertility has become a growing concern in young females with Hodgkin lymphoma (HL). However, the rate of pregnancy after the current most frequently prescribed ABVD chemotherapy for HL has rarely been studied. We aimed to determine the impact of ABVD on the fertility of women treated for HL. A non-interventional, multicentric study of female patients of child-bearing age with HL treated. Two healthy apparied women non exposed at chemotherapy (our controls) were assigned for each patient. Fertility was assessed by the number of pregnancies and births after HL treatment. Sixty-seven patients were included. The median age at diagnosis was 24.4 years (16-43). Hodgkin lymphoma was localized disease for 68.7%. 53.7% of all the patients started at least one pregnancy after treatment versus 54.5% of the controls (p=0.92). 81% of patients who desired children had at least one pregnancy. Patients treated with ABVD did not have a longer median time to pregnancy (4.8 years in the group of patients and 6.8 years for controls). Across patients, there has been 58 pregnancies and 48 births (ratio 1.2) and for control cohort, 136 pregnancies and 104 births (ratio 1.3). No increase in obstetric or neonatal complications has been reported in HL in our study. The number of pregnancies, births and the time to start a pregnancy in young women treated with ABVD for HL is not different to that of controls. Therefore, female with HL and treated by ABVD should be reassured in regards to fertility.
As the global population is aging and survival in multiple myeloma (MM) is increasing, treating older MM patients, redefined as non-transplant eligible (NTE), is becoming more frequent. Yet, treating these patients remains a real challenge especially because of a marked heterogeneity in the population and an increased susceptibility to treatment toxicity. Indeed, the balance between efficacy and safety must be considered at all time throughout the treatment history for these patients. Therefore, younger and older patients were historically treated in a very different way, even though the safety profile of most anti-myeloma drugs has drastically improved over the years. The emergence of immunotherapy (IT) has largely widened the therapeutic options available in MM and above all has allowed a therapy at optimal dose, and therefore optimal activity, for all patients independently of their frailty features, with no increase in safety issues. Among the novel anti-myeloma IT-based agents, anti-CD38 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are now becoming the new backbone of treatment for NTE patients, in association with lenalidomide and dexamethasone. Moreover, several new IT-based drugs are currently being developed and investigated either alone or in association; such as new anti-CD38 mAbs, anti-CD38 mAbs with many different combinations, but also the CART cells, bispecific T-cell engager (BiTEs), or antibody drug conjugate (ADC) targeting BCMA. One would expect that immunotherapy will ultimately change and even transform the MM landscape, even for elderly patients. Immunotherapy represents a shift in treatment paradigm in MM as it provides truly efficient drugs with a very favorable safety profile.
Bone lesions are rarely reported in Hairy Cell Leukemia (HCL). We report two BRAFV600E mutated HCL patients presented bone lesions at foreground, poor bone marrow involvement and the important role 18F-FDG PET/CT played in their management. We discuss the crucial role that 18F-FDG PET/CT could play in HCL routine practice.
Background. Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) incidence increases with age, but elderly patients are often too frail to receive intensive chemotherapy (IC). Instead, treatment with hypomethylating agents (HMAs) is usually proposed, even if they have not demonstrated any real improvement over best supportive care. However, clinical practice has shown a significant difference in overall survival (OS) between responding and non-responding patients to HMAs. Thus, we aimed to assess predictive criteria of HMA response in elderly and frail AML patients. We reviewed the literature for any existing scores: none was found for elderly unfit patients. On the other hand, 3 models/scores existed for fit elderly patients undergoing IC : in the ALFA 9803 trail published by Malfuson and al, the HOCSG model in the MRC AML11 and LRF AML trails by Wheatley and al and finally the MDACC model by Kantarijan and al. Methods. We reviewed all patients aged ≥ 60 years old (y.o) diagnosed with AML, unfit for IC and treated with Azacytidine (AZA) alone in first line from July 2015 to December 2019 in Poitiers' University Hospital. The ineligibility to IC was defined by an age > 75 y.o and/or the appreciation by the physician based on performance status (ECOG) and the evaluation of comorbidities with Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI). The type of AML (de novo versus secondary) and the 2017 ELN prognosis score were also assessed. Results. Among 63 patients recruited, 86% were older than 70 y.o and 29% older than 80. Frailty criteria were found with a ECOG ≥ 2 in 11 (17%) and a CCI ≥ 3 in 29 (45%) patients. Secondary AML was found in 41 (63%) of patients. Adverse karyotype was detected in 21 (32%) patients and 2017 ELN score was quoted as adverse in 25 (38%) patients. After a median follow up of 10.75 months (IQR 3.98 - 17.94) for the whole cohort, median OS was 10.75 months (95%CI 6.37476 - 14.984). Among 54 (86%) evaluable patients, 50 reached some response: at least hematological improvement according to 2003 International Working Group criteria in 20 of them (37%), and stable disease in 30 (55.6%) patients. Patients reaching at least hematological improvement were able to complete a median of 11.5 cycles (IQR 7.5 - 17) vs 6.5 cycles (IQR 3 - 12). Sadly 23 (35%) patients died before achieving 6 cycles. In our cohort the 2017 ELN score failed to predict risk assessment in elderly frail patients. The ALFA model and HOCSG score were also not able to identify treatable patients neither to predict mortality in our cohort. Interestingly the MDACC high-risk category was able to identify the patients who would not benefit from AZA treatment with worst survival rates (HR 3.01; 95%CI 1.04 - 8.79). Conclusion. To date, stratification scores were developed for young fit patients, undergoing IC. Those scores predict poorly response to HMA and OS in unfit patients. In the era of new treatments and combinations with AZA, there is an urgent and growing need for dedicated prognosis model for unfit elderly AML patients. Disclosures Leleu: Bristol-Myers Squibb: Honoraria; Carsgen Therapeutics Ltd: Honoraria; Gilead Sciences: Honoraria; Celgene: Honoraria; Janssen-Cilag: Honoraria; Karyopharm Therapeutics: Honoraria; Merck: Honoraria; Mundipharma: Honoraria; Novartis: Honoraria; Amgen: Honoraria; AbbVie: Honoraria; Oncopeptides: Honoraria; Pierre Fabre: Honoraria; Roche: Honoraria; Sanofi: Honoraria; Takeda: Honoraria, Other: Non-financial support.
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