The evolving pattern of the monoclonal protein improves the IMWG 2/20/20 classification for patients with smoldering multiple myeloma.

The 2/20/20 International Myeloma Working Group (IMWG) score is the most employed risk score in clinical practice to evaluate the risk of progression from smoldering multiple myeloma (SMM) to symptomatic multiple myeloma. However, it faces a serious limitation: The risk score is applied at diagnosis and cannot be reapplied. Since a dynamic accurate patient risk assessment for progression is necessary, we aimed to investigate whether the detection of an evolving pattern in serum M-protein (SMP) improves the identification of high-risk patients. Eighty-three patients diagnosed with SMM between 2011 and 2020 were included. Patients were initially classified applying the 2/20/20 IMWG score at baseline and later reclassified depending on the presence of an SMP evolving pattern into six groups. We regrouped the patients into three final risk groups: low-risk, intermediate-risk, and high-risk. The risk of progression at two years for the high-risk group was 88% and all patients had progressed at 4 years. The performance measurements were superior for the new 2/20/20-Evolving score independently for the detection of high-risk patients. We show that the sequential measurement of the SMP is a noninvasive and widely available test that improves the 2/20/20 IMWG risk score.

Healthcare Resource Utilization and Cost-of-Illness in Systemic Light Chain (AL) Amyloidosis in Europe: Results From the Real-World, Retrospective EMN23 Study.

OBJECTIVES: To report healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) and safety outcomes in systemic light chain (AL) amyloidosis from the EMN23 study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The retrospective, observational, multinational EMN23 study included 4,480 patients initiating first-line treatment for AL amyloidosis in 2004-2018 and assessed, among other objectives, HCRU and safety outcomes. HCRU included hospitalizations, examinations, and dialysis; safety included serious adverse events (SAEs) and adverse events of special interest (AESIs). Data were descriptively analyzed by select prognostic factors (e.g., cardiac staging by Mayo2004/European) for 2004-2010 and 2011-2018. A cost-of-illness analysis was conducted for the UK and Spain. RESULTS: HCRU/safety and dialysis data were extracted for 674 and 774 patients, respectively. Of patients with assessed cardiac stage (2004-2010: 159; 2011-2018: 387), 67.9% and 61.0% had ≥ 1 hospitalization, 56.0% and 51.4% had ≥ 1 SAE, and 31.4% and 28.9% had ≥ 1 AESI across all cardiac stages in 2004-2010 and 2011-2018, respectively. The per-patient-per-year length of hospitalization increased with disease severity (cardiac stage). Of patients with dialysis data (2004-2010: 176; 2011-2018: 453), 23.9% and 14.8% had ≥ 1 dialysis session across all cardiac stages in 2004-2010 and 2011-2018, respectively. The annual cost-of-illness was estimated at €40,961,066 and €31,904,386 for the UK and Spain, respectively; dialysis accounted for ∼28% (UK) and ∼35% (Spain) of the total AL amyloidosis costs. CONCLUSIONS: EMN23 showed that the burden of AL amyloidosis is substantial, highlighting the need for early disease diagnosis and effective treatments targeting the underlying pathology.

Outcomes of Patients with Newly Diagnosed Transplant-Ineligible Multiple Myeloma According to Clinical Trials Enrollment: Experience of a Single Institution.

The proportion of non-transplant-eligible (NTE) newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM) patients excluded from clinical trials (CTs) and their prognosis is unknown. CT results may not be generalizable to real-world practice due to strict recruitment criteria. We analyzed causes of NTE-NDMM patient exclusion form CTs and their outcomes. A total of 211 NTE-NDMM patients were included. They were divided into three periods: 2003-2007, 2008-2012, and 2013-2017. Overall, 50% received non-trial treatment (NCT), while 50% participated in a CT (20% control group (CG) and 30% experimental group (EG)). Main causes for exclusion from CTs were comorbidities, ECOG > 2, and renal insufficiency. In the first two periods, the CR rate was similar regardless of treatment type, but in the last period, the EG group showed improved CR. Median PFS was similar in the first two periods, with a benefit seen only in the EG in the last period. The median OS was significantly longer in CT-included patients compared to NCT group in the last two periods. Conclusions: The presence of comorbidities and worsened ECOG were the main reasons for CT exclusion. Patients included in CTs had a longer OS than NCT. This OS benefit may be influenced by a selection bias, making it challenging to generalize CT results to real clinical practice.

The management of light chain (AL) amyloidosis in Europe: clinical characteristics, treatment patterns, and efficacy outcomes between 2004 and 2018.

Systemic light-chain (AL) amyloidosis is a rare and debilitating disease. Advances have been made in new treatments in recent years, yet real-world data on the management of the disease are scarce. EMN23 is a retrospective, observational study of patients who initiated first-line treatment in 2004-2018 in Europe, presenting the demographics, clinical characteristics, treatment patterns, and outcomes, from 4480 patients. Regimens based on bortezomib were the most frequently used as first-line therapy; only 6.2% of the patients received autologous stem cell transplant. Hematologic responses improved post-2010 (67.1% vs 55.6% pre-2010). The median overall survival (OS) was 48.8 (45.2-51.7) months; 51.4 (47.3-57.7) months pre-2010 and 46.7 (41.3-52.2) months post-2010. Early mortality was 13.4% and did not improve (11.4% vs 14.4% pre- and post-2010); furthermore, it remained high in patients with advanced cardiac disease (over 39% for stage IIIb). There was a significant improvement for stage IIIa (14.2 vs 30.7 months, p = 0.0170) but no improvement for stage IIIb patients (5.0 vs 4.5 months). This European real-world study of AL-amyloidosis emphasizes the unmet needs of early diagnosis, and the lack of improvement in survival outcomes of the frail stage IIIb population, despite the introduction of new therapies in recent years.

Guidelines for non-transplant chemotherapy for treatment of systemic AL amyloidosis: EHA-ISA working group.

BACKGROUND: This guideline has been developed jointly by the European Society of Haematology and International Society of Amyloidosis recommending non-transplant chemotherapy treatment for patients with AL amyloidosis. METHODS: A review of literature and grading of evidence as well as expert recommendations by the ESH and ISA guideline committees. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The recommendations of this committee suggest that treatment follows the clinical presentation which determines treatment tolerance tempered by potential side effects to select and modify use of drugs in AL amyloidosis. All patients with AL amyloidosis should be considered for clinical trials where available. Daratumumab-VCD is recommended from most untreated patients (VCD or VMDex if daratumumab is unavailable). At relapse, the two guiding principles are the depth and duration of initial response, use of a class of agents not previously exposed as well as the limitation imposed by patients' fitness/frailty and end organ damage. Targeted agents like venetoclax need urgent prospective evaluation. Future prospective trials should include advanced stage patients to allow for evidence-based treatment decisions. Therapies targeting amyloid fibrils or those reducing the proteotoxicity of amyloidogenic light chains/oligomers are urgently needed.

Long-Term Responders After Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation in Multiple Myeloma.

Introduction: Multiple myeloma (MM) is considered an incurable hematological neoplasm. For transplant-eligible patients, initial treatment includes an induction phase followed by an autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT). Despite the introduction of several drugs in the past years, relapses still occur. Nevertheless, some patients achieve sustained responses after successful induction treatment and ASCT. Methods: We retrospectively evaluated all patients diagnosed with MM in our institution who underwent induction treatment and ASCT between 1990 and 2015. The subset of patients who achieved a sustained response (any degree) for 5 or more years after ASCT without further treatment or signs of progression were distinguished as "long-term responders" (LTRs). In the non-LTR group, a cohort referred to as "prolonged responders" (PLRs) showed sustained response of at least 5 years after ASCT but eventually relapsed. We collected and analyzed clinical and laboratory data. Results: Two hundred and fifty patients were diagnosed with MM and received induction treatment and ASCT at our institution in the study period. Among them, 54 (21.6%) patients met the criteria for LTR. Some diagnostic features such as a younger age, female gender, ECOG performance status of 0, lower International Staging System (ISS) stage, lower bone marrow plasma cell infiltration, and lower serum levels of calcium, C-reactive protein, and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were found to be more prevalent in LTR. Female gender, an ECOG performance status of 0, a localized Durie-Salmon stage, an ISS of I-II, the absence of bone disease, and an LDH within normal range were also predictive of longer progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in the whole cohort. The depth of the response achieved after induction and ASCT as well as the administration of an IMID-based maintenance regimen may play a role in the differences observed on PFS between cohorts. A detectable M-protein with a monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS)-like behavior was detected in one-third of LTR after ASCT. Although relapses continue to occur in patients who achieve a 5-year treatment-free period after ASCT, a plateau is observed in the survival curves at approximately 21 years of follow-up.

Immunoparesis defined by heavy/light chain pair suppression in smoldering multiple myeloma shows initial isotype specificity and involves other isotypes in advanced disease.

Smoldering multiple myeloma (SMM) is an asymptomatic and biologically heterogeneous plasma cell disorder, with a highly variable clinical course. Immunoparesis, defined by total immunoglobulin measurements, has been shown to be an independent risk factor for progression to symptomatic disease. The heavy/light chain (HLC) assay allows precise measurement of the polyclonal immunoglobulin of the same isotype, enabling the evaluation of isotype-matched immunoparesis (IMI). In this study, we prospectively characterized immunoparesis, as determined by HLC measurements, in 53 SMM patients. Severe IMI was present in 51% of patients, while severe IP of uninvolved isotypes (HLC IP) was present in 39%. Most of the patients with severe HLC IP presented with severe IMI, but not the other way around. Isotype specificity of immune suppression was suggested by lower relative values of isotype-matched HLC pairs, both for IgG and IgA SMM. Severe IMI was associated with other risk factors for progression while patients with severe IMI and severe HLC IP showed an even higher risk profile. Both severe IMI and severe IgM HLC IP showed a significantly shorter time to progression. Finally, gene expression analysis demonstrated differences in the bone marrow microenvironment between patients with IMI and IMI plus HLC IP, with an increased expression of genes associated with cytolytic cells. In conclusion, our data supports isotype specificity of early immunoglobulin suppression mechanisms. While suppression of both involved and uninvolved isotypes is associated with risk of progression, the later appears to develop with more advanced disease and could be mediated by different mechanisms.

Daratumumab-Based Treatment for Immunoglobulin Light-Chain Amyloidosis.

BACKGROUND: Systemic immunoglobulin light-chain (AL) amyloidosis is characterized by deposition of amyloid fibrils of light chains produced by clonal CD38+ plasma cells. Daratumumab, a human CD38-targeting antibody, may improve outcomes for this disease. METHODS: We randomly assigned patients with newly diagnosed AL amyloidosis to receive six cycles of bortezomib, cyclophosphamide, and dexamethasone either alone (control group) or with subcutaneous daratumumab followed by single-agent daratumumab every 4 weeks for up to 24 cycles (daratumumab group). The primary end point was a hematologic complete response. RESULTS: A total of 388 patients underwent randomization. The median follow-up was 11.4 months. The percentage of patients who had a hematologic complete response was significantly higher in the daratumumab group than in the control group (53.3% vs. 18.1%) (relative risk ratio, 2.9; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.1 to 4.1; P<0.001). Survival free from major organ deterioration or hematologic progression favored the daratumumab group (hazard ratio for major organ deterioration, hematologic progression, or death, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.36 to 0.93; P = 0.02). At 6 months, more cardiac and renal responses occurred in the daratumumab group than in the control group (41.5% vs. 22.2% and 53.0% vs. 23.9%, respectively). The four most common grade 3 or 4 adverse events were lymphopenia (13.0% in the daratumumab group and 10.1% in the control group), pneumonia (7.8% and 4.3%, respectively), cardiac failure (6.2% and 4.8%), and diarrhea (5.7% and 3.7%). Systemic administration-related reactions to daratumumab occurred in 7.3% of the patients. A total of 56 patients died (27 in the daratumumab group and 29 in the control group), most due to amyloidosis-related cardiomyopathy. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with newly diagnosed AL amyloidosis, the addition of daratumumab to bortezomib, cyclophosphamide, and dexamethasone was associated with higher frequencies of hematologic complete response and survival free from major organ deterioration or hematologic progression. (Funded by Janssen Research and Development; ANDROMEDA ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT03201965.).

Kidney Transplantation in Monoclonal Immunoglobulin Deposition Disease: A Report of 6 Cases.

Monoclonal immunoglobulin deposition disease (MIDD) usually leads to kidney failure. Treatment of patients with a bortezomib-based regimen followed by autologous stem cell transplantation (SCT) has been increasingly used, with improvements in the response rates and allograft outcomes in kidney transplant recipients. The objective of this report was to analyze the outcomes of 6 patients who underwent kidney transplantation in our institution after treatment of MIDD between 2010 and 2019. Monoclonal immunoglobulin deposition disease was initially treated with bortezomib-based therapy followed by high-dose melphalan and autologous SCT with complete hematologic response, although all patients remained on dialysis. During a median follow-up of 20.5 months from kidney transplant (54 months from SCT), 1 patient experienced hematologic relapse and 2 had hematologic progression (one of them with MIDD relapse in the allograft) requiring treatment. The patient with organ relapse received daratumumab monotherapy, achieving complete hematologic response but with graft failure. The other 5 patients had functional grafts with median serum creatinine 1.68 mg/dL. These results support that, in patients with MIDD and sustained complete hematologic response, a kidney transplant can be considered. The optimal approach to treatment of hematologic relapse or recurrence of MIDD after kidney transplant remains to be determined.

Supportive Care in AL Amyloidosis.

Immunoglobulin light-chain (AL) amyloidosis is a systemic disease characterized by the production and deposition of light chain-derived amyloid fibrils in different organs. Prompt treatment directed to the underlying plasma cell clone is crucial in order to achieve a rapid, deep and durable hematologic response. The decrease in the production of the amyloidogenic light chains is a required condition to obtain the organ response, which is commonly delayed. Meanwhile, supportive treatment is aimed to maintain quality of life of these patients and preserve their involved organs' function. From simple measures, such as salt restriction or compressive stockings, to very complex interventions, such as heart transplantation in very selected patients with isolated severe cardiac involvement, this supportive care is essential and has to be necessarily included in the multidisciplinary management of this disease.

Treatment with daratumumab in patients with relapsed/refractory AL amyloidosis: a multicentric retrospective study and review of the literature.

Management of patients with relapsed or refractory (R/R) AL amyloidosis is complex. Some initial reports have shown positive results with daratumumab in heavily pre-treated AL amyloidosis patients. In this retrospective multicentric study, 38 patients (mean age 64 ± 9 years) with R/R AL amyloidosis treated with daratumumab were included. Cardiac and renal involvement was present in 76 and 74% of patients, and 42% had ≥3 organs involved. Median number of previous lines of therapy was 2 (range 1-8). Overall hematological response was 72%, including 28% complete responses. The median time to first hematological response was 2 weeks. A high-quality response (≥very good partial response) was obtained in 65% of patients who had never achieved such depth of response previously. Hematological responses were more frequent among patients receiving daratumumab as second-line therapy compared to subsequent therapies (92 vs. 61%). Cardiac and renal organ response rates were 37 and 59%. At 12 months, overall and progression-free survival were 59% (95%CI: 0.36-0.77) and 52% (95%CI: 0.29-0.70), respectively. Daratumumab is a safe and effective drug in the treatment of R/R AL amyloidosis and should be considered early in the course of the disease.

Outcome of Patients With Newly Diagnosed Systemic Light-Chain Amyloidosis Associated With Deletion of 17p.

INTRODUCTION: Deletion 17p (del 17p) portends a poor prognosis in myeloma, but its significance in light-chain amyloidosis is unknown. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We identified patients with light-chain amyloidosis and del 17p at diagnosis, and analyzed presenting characteristics, treatments, and clinical outcomes. All had baseline biopsy results showing amyloid and serologic and marrow studies, including standard fluorescence in-situ hybridization determinations of del 17p using commercial probes. Consensus criteria for hematologic and organ involvement, progression, and response were used. Kaplan-Meier (log rank) analyses and Cox regression analysis of baseline variables were used to identify predictors of overall and progression-free survival (PFS). Six-month landmark analyses were performed to assess the impact of treatment-related variables. RESULTS: We identified 44 patients from 7 countries with median marrow and del 17p plasma cells of 22% (range, 3%-100%) and 30% (2%-93%). Ninety-five percent had cardiac involvement, including 44% stage III. Two-thirds of the patients initially received bortezomib-based therapy. Forty-nine percent of patients experienced complete response or very good partial response, with median time to best response of 4 months (range, 1-28 months). Median overall survival and PFS were 49 and 32 months. Cardiac stage and hematologic response were the key predictors of outcomes. Patients with > 50% and ≤ 50% del 17p in clonal plasma cells had median survivals of 28 and 52 months, respectively (P = .08). In landmark analyses, only hematologic response predicted both overall survival and PFS. CONCLUSION: Cardiac stage, hematologic response, and del 17p percentage impact outcomes in these cases. Emphasis should be placed on optimizing supportive care and achieving a deep hematologic response.

Loss of the Immune Checkpoint CD85j/LILRB1 on Malignant Plasma Cells Contributes to Immune Escape in Multiple Myeloma.

Mechanisms of immune regulation may control proliferation of aberrant plasma cells (PCs) in patients with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) preventing progression to active multiple myeloma (MM). We hypothesized that CD85j (LILRB1), an inhibitory immune checkpoint for B cell function, may play a role in MM pathogenesis. In this study, we report that patients with active MM had significantly lower levels of CD85j and its ligand S100A9. Decreased CD85j expression could also be detected in the premalignant condition MGUS, suggesting that loss of CD85j may be an early event promoting tumor immune escape. To gain insight into the molecular mechanisms underlying CD85j functions, we next enforced expression of CD85j in human myeloma cell lines by lentiviral transduction. Interestingly, gene expression profiling of CD85j-overexpressing cells revealed a set of downregulated genes with crucial functions in MM pathogenesis. Furthermore, in vitro functional assays demonstrated that CD85j overexpression increased susceptibility to T cell- and NK-mediated killing. Consistently, ligation of CD85j decreased the number of PCs from individuals with MGUS but not from patients with MM. In conclusion, downregulation of inhibitory immune checkpoints on malignant PCs may provide a novel mechanism of immune escape associated with myeloma pathogenesis.

Impact of Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation on the Incidence and Outcome of Oligoclonal Bands in Patients with Light-Chain Amyloidosis.

The emergence of oligoclonal bands (OB) in patients with multiple myeloma achieving a complete remission (CR) after autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) and the use of novel agents is a well-recognized event. The presence of OB is associated with favorable outcome. However, the emergence of OB in light-chain (AL) amyloidosis has never been investigated. The aim of the study was to determine the incidence, natural history, and prognostic impact of OB in 50 patients with AL amyloidosis who achieved at least a partial response either after upfront ASCT (20 patients [40%]) or after conventional treatment in patients ineligible for transplantation (30 patients [60%]). OB were observed in 60% of the patients, with IgG-kappa (30.7%) the most frequently detected isotype. This phenomenon was more prevalent in patients achieving CR than those in other response categories (88% versus 32%, P = .0001). The landmark analysis at 1 year after diagnosis demonstrates a significantly longer progression-free survival and an improvement trend in overall survival (P = .04 and P = .06, respectively). This prognostic impact was also observed in patients who achieved CR and in patients with more advanced stage. In summary, this is the first report of OB in patients with AL amyloidosis. Although its biological meaning remains unclear, it could reflect a more robust humoral immune response.

T1 mapping: characterisation of myocardial interstitial space.

UNLABELLED: Myocardial fibrosis is always present in end-stage heart failure and is a major independent predictor of adverse cardiac outcome. Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) is an imaging method that permits a non-invasive assessment of the heart and has been established as the "gold standard" for the evaluation of cardiac anatomy and function, as well as for quantifying focal myocardial fibrosis in both ischaemic and non-ischaemic heart disease. However, cardiac pathologies characterised by diffuse myocardial fibrosis cannot be evaluated by late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) imaging, as there are no reference regions of normal myocardium. Recent improvements in CMR imaging techniques have enabled parametric mapping of relaxation properties (T1, T2 and T2*) clinically feasible within a single breath-hold. T1 mapping techniques performed both with and without contrast enable the quantification of diffuse myocardial fibrosis and myocardial infiltration. This article reviews current imaging techniques, emerging applications and the future potential and limitations of CMR for T1 mapping. TEACHING POINTS: • Myocardial fibrosis is a common endpoint in a variety of cardiac diseases. • Myocardial fibrosis results in myocardial stiffness, heart failure, arrhythmia and sudden death. • T1-mapping CMR techniques enable the quantification of diffuse myocardial fibrosis. • Native T1 reflects myocardial disease involving the myocyte and interstitium. • The use of gadolinium allows measurement of the extracellular volume fraction, reflecting interstitial space.