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Shaji K. Kumar, MD
Prashant Kapoor, MD, FACP
Shaji K. Kumar, MD
Prashant Kapoor, MD, FACP
Posted: Monday, May 15, 2023
For patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma, combination induction therapy with bortezomib, pomalidomide, and dexamethasone (VPd) may be a safe and efficacious option, according to the results of the phase II POMACE trial published in the Blood Cancer Journal. However, additional investigative efforts aimed at determining the survival benefit and superiority of this induction therapy regimen are warranted, explained Biswajit Dubashi, MBBS, MD, DM, of the Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, India, and colleagues.
A total of 34 patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (n = 31) or multiple plasmacytomas (n = 3) were recruited for the study. All patients were treatment-naive. Patients were administered four cycles of combination induction therapy with VPd. At baseline and after completing the four cycles of treatment, patients’ status was assessed using a variety of analytic tests, including serum electrophoresis with quantification of M-protein, PET-CT, and fluorescent in situ hybridization.
The study findings revealed that after completion of induction therapy, 32% of patients achieved a stringent complete response, and 29% achieved a complete response. In addition, 26% of patients had a very good partial response to therapy, and 13% had a partial response. Patients who achieved a very good partial response had a significantly better 12-month progression-free survival than did those who achieved a partial response. Furthermore, a complete metabolic response on PET-CT was observed in 48% of patients. Of these patients, those who achieved a very good partial response had a significantly increased 12-month overall survival. Moreover, the most common treatment-related adverse effects reported by patients included anemia, peripheral neuropathy, and constipation.
Disclosure: The study authors reported no conflicts of interest.
