SummaryBackgroundBisphosphonates reduce the risk of skeletal events in patients with malignant bone disease, and zoledronic acid has shown potential anticancer effects in preclinical and clinical studies. We aimed to establish whether bisphosphonates can affect clinical outcomes in patients with multiple myeloma.MethodsPatients of age 18 years or older with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma were enrolled from 120 centres in the UK. Computer-generated randomisation sequence was used to allocate patients equally, via an automated telephone service, to receive 4 mg zoledronic acid as an infusion every 3–4 weeks or 1600 mg oral clodronic acid daily. Patients also received intensive or non-intensive induction chemotherapy. No investigators, staff, or patients were masked to treatment allocation, and bisphosphonate and maintenance therapy continued at least until disease progression. The primary endpoints were overall survival, progression-free survival, and overall response rate. We assessed between-group differences with Cox proportional hazards models for progression-free survival and overall survival, and with logistic regression models for overall response rate. Analysis was by intention to treat. This trial is registered, number ISRCTN68454111.Findings1970 patients were enrolled between May, 2003, and November, 2007, of whom 1960 were eligible for intention-to-treat analysis: 981 in the zoledronic acid group (555 on intensive chemotherapy, 426 on non-intensive chemotherapy); and 979 on clodronic acid (556 on intensive chemotherapy, 423 on non-intensive chemotherapy). The treatment cutoff was Oct 5, 2009, with patients receiving bisphosphonates for a median of 350 days (IQR 137–632) before disease progression, with a median of 3·7 years' follow-up (IQR 2·9–4·7). Zoledronic acid reduced mortality by 16% (95% CI 4–26) versus clodronic acid (hazard ratio [HR] 0·84, 95% CI 0·74–0·96; p=0·0118), and extended median overall survival by 5·5 months (50·0 months, IQR 21·0 to not reached vs 44·5 months, IQR 16·5 to not reached; p=0·04). Zoledronic acid also significantly improved progression-free survival by 12% (95% CI 2–20) versus clodronic acid (HR 0·88, 95% CI 0·80–0·98; p=0·0179), and increased median progression-free survival by 2·0 months (19·5 months, IQR 9·0–38·0 vs 17·5 months, IQR 8·5–34·0; p=0·07). Rates of complete, very good partial, or partial response did not differ significantly between the zoledronic acid and clodronic acid groups for patients receiving intensive induction chemotherapy (432 patients [78%] vs 422 [76%]; p=0·43) or non-intensive induction chemotherapy (215 [50%] vs 195 [46%]; p=0·18). Both bisphosphonates were generally well tolerated, with similar occurrence of acute renal failure and treatment-emergent serious adverse events, but zoledronic acid was associated with higher rates of confirmed osteonecrosis of the jaw (35 [4%]) than was clodronic acid (3 [<1%]).InterpretationConsistent with the potential anticancer activity of zoledronic acid, overall survival improved independently of prevent...

The association of genetic lesions detected by FISH with survival was analyzed in 1069 patients with newly presenting myeloma treated in the Medical Research Council (MRC) Myeloma IX trial, with the aim of identifying patients associated with the worst prognosis. A comprehensive FISH panel was performed, and the lesions associated with short PFS and OS in multivariate analysis were +1q21, del(17p13) and an adverse IGH translocation group incorporating t(4;14), t(14;16) and t(14;20). These lesions frequently co-segregated, and there was an association between the accumulation of these adverse FISH lesions and a progressive impairment of survival. This observation was used to define a series of risk groups based on number of adverse lesions. Taking this approach we defined a favorable risk group by the absence of adverse genetic lesions, an intermediate group with 1 adverse lesion and a high risk group defined by the co-segregation of >1 adverse lesion. This genetic grouping was independent of the ISS and so was integrated with the ISS to identify an ultra-high risk group defined by ISS II or III and >1 adverse lesion. This group constituted 13.8 % of patients and was associated with a median OS of 19.4 months.

Thalidomide maintenance has the potential to modulate residual multiple myeloma (MM) after an initial response. This trial compared the effect of thalidomide maintenance and no maintenance on progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in MM patients. After intensive or nonintensive induction therapy, 820 newly diagnosed MM patients were randomized to open-label thalidomide maintenance until progression, or no maintenance. Interphase FISH (iFISH) analysis was performed at study entry. Median PFS was significantly longer with thalidomide maintenance (logrank P < .001). Median OS was similar between regimens (log-rank P ‫؍‬ .40). Patients with favorable iFISH showed improved PFS (P ‫؍‬ .004) and a trend toward a late survival benefit. Patients with adverse iFISH receiving thalidomide showed no significant PFS benefit and worse OS (P ‫؍‬ .009). Effective relapse therapy enhanced survival after progression, translating into a significant OS benefit. Metaanalysis of this and other studies show a significant late OS benefit (P < .001, 7-year difference hazard ratio ‫؍‬ 12.3; 95% confidence interval, 5.

These consensus guidelines have been compiled with input from the Scientific Advisors of the International Myeloma Foundation. Their production involved several steps including: A 3-day Scientific Advisors meeting, during which each specific area was presented and discussed (May 2002). Review of key literature, especially randomized study results, but also Medline, Internet, Cochrane database searches, and prior guidelines (Br J Haematol 115: 522-540, 2001). Feedback from patients participating in the International Myeloma Foundation, patient programs. These guidelines encompass both the published literature and expert opinions. Recommendations based upon expert opinions are identified as such. The intent is for the guidelines to be international in scope, plus provide recommendations for both clinical practice and research approaches. 'Consensus' reflects general, although not necessarily unanimous, agreement. Details are discussed as appropriate. For convenience, the recommendations are divided into: 1. Diagnostic criteria. 2. Staging and prognostic factors. 3. Frontline therapy. 4. High-dose therapy and transplant. 5. Maintenance therapy. 6. Supportive care and management of specific complications. 7. Novel therapies and new technologies.

Conventional monitoring strategies for myeloma are not sufficiently sensitive to identify patients likely to benefit from further therapy immediately after transplantation. We have used a sensitive flow cytometry assay that quantitates normal and neoplastic plasma cells to monitor the bone marrow of 45 patients undergoing high-dose chemotherapy. Neoplastic plasma cells were detectable at 3 months after transplantation in 42% of patients. Once detected, neoplastic cell levels increased steadily until clinical progression: these patients had a significantly shorter progression-free survival (PFS) (median, 20 months) than those with no detectable disease (median, longer than 35 months; P ‫؍‬ .003). Neoplastic plasma cells were detectable in 27% (9 of 33) of immunofixation-negative complete-remission patients. These patients had a significantly shorter PFS than immunofixationnegative patients with no detectable neoplastic plasma cells (P ‫؍‬ .04). Normal plasma cells were present in 89% of patients immediately after transplantation, but were not sustained in most cases. Patients with only normal phenotype plasma cells present at 3 months after transplantation and also at second assessment had a low risk of disease progression. Patients with neoplastic plasma cells present at 3 months after transplantation, or with only normal plasma cells present at first assessment and only neoplastic plasma cells at second assessment, had a significantly higher risk of early disease progression (P < .0001) with a 5-year survival of 54% for the high-risk group, compared with 100% in the lowrisk group (P ‫؍‬ .036). Analysis of normal and neoplastic plasma cell levels is more sensitive than immunofixation and can identify which patients may benefit from additional treatment strategies at an early stage after transplantation. (Blood. 2002; 100:3095-3100)

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To identify risk variants for multiple myeloma (MM), we conducted a genome-wide association study totaling of 1,675 MM cases and 5,903 controls. We identified risk loci for MM at 3p22.1 (rs1052501, ULK4; odds ratio [OR]=1.32; P=7.47x10-9) and 7p15.3 (rs4487645, OR=1.38; P=3.33x10-15). In addition, we observed a promising association at 2p23.3 (rs6746082, OR=1.29; P=1.22x10-7). Our study reports previously unidentified genomic regions associated with MM risk that may lead to new etiological insights.

Purpose: Medical Research Council (MRC) Myeloma IX was a phase III trial evaluating bisphosphonate and thalidomide-based therapy for newly diagnosed multiple myeloma. Results were reported previously after a median follow-up of 3.7 years (current controlled trials number: ISRCTN68454111). Survival outcomes were reanalyzed after an extended follow-up (median, 5.9 years).Experimental Design: At first randomization, patients (N ¼ 1,970) were assigned to bisphosphonate (clodronic acid or zoledronic acid) and induction therapies [cyclophosphamide-vincristine-doxorubicindexamethasone (CVAD) or cyclophosphamide-thalidomide-dexamethasone (CTD) followed by highdose therapy plus autologous stem cell transplantation for younger/fitter patients (intensive pathway), and melphalan-prednisone (MP) or attenuated CTD (CTDa) for older/less fit patients (nonintensive pathway)]. At second randomization, patients were assigned to thalidomide maintenance therapy or no maintenance. Interphase FISH (iFISH) was used to analyze cytogenics.Results: Zoledronic acid significantly improved progression-free survival (PFS; HR, 0.89; P ¼ 0.02) and overall survival (OS; HR, 0.86; P ¼ 0.01) compared with clodronic acid. In the intensive pathway, CTD showed noninferior PFS and OS compared with CVAD, with a trend toward improved OS in patients with favorable cytogenics (P ¼ 0.068). In the nonintensive pathway, CTDa significantly improved PFS (HR, 0.81; P ¼ 0.007) compared with MP and there was an emergent survival benefit after 18 to 24 months. Thalidomide maintenance improved PFS (HR, 1.44; P < 0.0001) but not OS (HR, 0.96; P ¼ 0.70), and was associated with shorter OS in patients with adverse cytogenics (P ¼ 0.01).Conclusions: Long-term follow-up is essential to identify clinically meaningful treatment effects in myeloma subgroups based on cytogenetics.