Bortezomib Consolidation Is More Effective Than Observation for Newly Diagnosed Multiple Myeloma

Bortezomib-based regimens used in transplantation-ineligible patients with multiple myeloma have shown to produce good outcomes in U.S. community practice, according to a recent study published online this week in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. In the U.S. community-based, three-arm phase IIIB, UPFRONT trial, researchers randomly assigned 502 patients to receive 24 weeks of induction therapy with bortezomib-dexamethasone, bortezomib-thalidomide-dexamethasone, or bortezomib-melphalan-prednisone. Subsequently, all three groups received additional 25 weeks of bortezomib maintenance therapy. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival, with  overall survival and overall response rate as the secondary endpoints. After median follow-up of 42.7 months, there were no significant differences in progression-free survival or overall survival among the groups. Moreover, bortezomib maintenance therapy did not produce cumulative toxicity. The findings suggest that Bortezomib-based regimens in transplantation-ineligible patients with multiple myeloma produced good outcomes with no particular regimen being better than the other. For the complete article, click here.