FROM JAMA ONCOLOGY

High-dose therapy with melphalan followed by autologous stem cell transplant (HDT/ASCT) is still the best option for multiple myeloma even after almost 2 decades with newer and highly effective induction agents, according to a recent systematic review and two meta-analyses.

Given the “unprecedented efficacy” of “modern induction therapy with immunomodulatory drugs and proteasome inhibitors (also called ‘novel agents’),” investigators “have sought to reevaluate the role of HDT/ASCT,” wrote Binod Dhakal , MD, of the Medical College of Wisconsin, and his colleagues. The report is in JAMA Oncology .

To solve the issue, they analyzed five randomized controlled trials conducted since 2000 and concluded that HDT/ASCT is still the preferred treatment approach.

Despite a lack of demonstrable overall survival benefit, there is a significant progression-free survival (PFS) benefit, low treatment-related mortality, and potential high minimal residual disease-negative rates conferred by HDT/ASCT in newly-diagnosed multiple myeloma, the researchers noted.

The combined odds for complete response were 1.27 (95% confidence interval, 0.97-1.65, P = .07) with HDT/ASCT, compared with standard-dose therapy (SDT). The combined hazard ratio (HR) for PFS was 0.55 (95% CI, 0.41-0.7, P less than .001) and 0.76 for overall survival (95% CI, 0.42-1.36, P = .20) in favor of HDT.

PFS was best with tandem HDT/ASCT (HR, 0.49, 95% CI, 0.37-0.65) followed by single HDT/ASCT with bortezomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone consolidation (HR, 0.53, 95% CI, 0.37-0.76) and single HDT/ASCT alone (HR, 0.68, 95% CI, 0.53-0.87), compared with SDT. However, none of the HDT/ASCT approaches had a significant impact on overall survival.

Meanwhile, treatment-related mortality with HDT/ASCT was minimal, at less than 1%.

“The achievement of high [minimal residual disease] rates with HDT/ASCT may render this approach the ideal platform for testing novel approaches (e.g., immunotherapy) aiming at disease eradication and cures,” the researchers wrote.

The researchers reported relationships with a number of companies, including Takeda, Celgene, and Amgen, that make novel induction agents.

aotto@frontlinemedcom.com

SOURCE: Dhakal B et al. JAMA Oncol. 2018 Jan 4. doi: 10.1001/jamaoncol.2017.4600 .

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