Substratification of patients with newly diagnosed standard-risk multiple myeloma.

Despite the absence of high-risk cytogenetics and lower International Staging System (ISS) stages, a subset of patients with multiple myeloma (MM) experience poor overall survival (OS). We studied 1461 patients with newly diagnosed MM to identify patient and disease characteristics that predict a high-risk phenotype among standard-risk patients. Fifty-six percent of all patients presented with standard-risk disease. Among them, advanced age, extremes of body mass index, non-hyperdiploid karyotype and abnormal lymphocyte counts were associated with worse OS. Standard-risk patients with 0-1 of these adverse factors (hazard ratio [HR] 0·32, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0·24-0·43, P < 0·001) and 2 adverse factors (HR 0·54, 95% CI 0·41-0·72, P < 0·001) experienced better OS than high-risk patients. Two or more adverse factors were present in 17% of standard-risk patients and were associated with OS comparable to high-risk patients (HR 0·91, 95% CI 0·67-1·24, P = 0·548). Predictive power among standard-risk patients was improved using score groups compared to ISS stages. Patients with standard-risk MM are a heterogeneous group with one in six patients experiencing OS comparable to high-risk disease. Patients at risk can be identified using readily available patient and disease characteristics. These findings emphasize the importance of accurate risk stratification and help explain part of the heterogeneity observed in clinical practice.

Clarifying immunoglobulin gene usage in systemic and localized immunoglobulin light-chain amyloidosis by mass spectrometry.

The goal of this study was to investigate the frequency of use of light-chain variable region (IGVL) genes among patients with systemic (ALS) and localized (ALL) amyloidosis and to assess for associations between IGVL gene usage and organ tropism. We evaluated clinic charts from 821 AL patients seen at the Mayo Clinic who had bone marrow, fat pad, and solid organ tissue samples typed by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS). We identified 701 patients with ALS and 120 with ALL Overall, we were able to identify an IGVL gene in 87 (72%) patients with ALL and 573 (82%) patients with ALS When compared with ALL, LV6-57 was more common, whereas KV3-20 and heavy-chain codeposition were less common in ALS In this large series of ALS, characteristics particular to specific genotypes became apparent. LV6-57 patients were more likely to have renal involvement and to harbor a translocation 11;14. LV3-01 patients were less likely to have advanced cardiac disease and renal involvement. LV2-14 patients were more likely to have peripheral nerve involvement, an intact circulating immunoglobulin, and lower circulating dFLC. LV1-44 patients were more likely to have cardiac involvement. KV1-33 patients had more liver involvement and higher circulating dFLC. Finally, KV1-05 was associated with inferior overall survival but not independently of cardiac stage. IGVL gene usage appears to provide clues about disease pathophysiology and tissue tropism. LC-MS is a high-throughput and low-resource technique that can be used to identify IGVL gene from clinical tissue specimens.

Peripheral blood biomarkers of early immune reconstitution in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma.

Peripheral blood biomarkers of tumor microenvironment and immune surveillance are independent prognostic factors in multiple myeloma. The timing and prognostic impact of immune reconstitution has been studied after autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, less is known about its significance in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma. We studied absolute lymphocyte (ALC) and absolute monocyte (AMC) counts at the time of treatment initiation and 1 month thereafter in 771 newly diagnosed patients. Two hundred and thirty-four patients (31%) had evidence of immune dysregulation at baseline (abnormal biomarkers). Eighty-seven of these patients (37%) recovered normal biomarkers at 1 month (early immune reconstitution). The absence of immune dysregulation at baseline (compared to the presence thereof) was associated with better overall survival (HR 0.77, 95% CI 0.61-0.97, P = 0.025, n = 771). The absence of immune dysregulation at 1 month (compared to the persistence or development thereof) was associated with better overall survival (HR 0.63, 95% CI 0.50-0.80, P < 0.001, n = 771). Early immune reconstitution (compared to the persistence or development of immune dysregulation) was associated with better overall survival (HR 0.62, 95% CI 0.43-0.92, P = 0.016, n = 771). Cytogenetic high-risk disease was negatively, and treatment with immunomodulators positively, associated with early immune reconstitution. The presence or development of immune dysregulation in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma is an independent risk factor. The favorable impact of early immune reconstitution suggests immune dysregulation to be a potentially modifiable risk factor that may be exploited for therapeutic benefit.

Prognostic value of minimal residual disease and polyclonal plasma cells in myeloma patients achieving a complete response to therapy.

Achievement of a complete response has been associated with improved outcomes in patients with multiple myeloma. Recently, increasing application of minimal residual disease (MRD) assessment has shown that MRD negativity is a powerful prognostic factor for survival outcomes. We wanted to examine the impact of the polyclonal plasma cell (pPC) compartment among patients in complete response (CR) but are MRD positive. This is a retrospective cohort study where 460 myeloma patients were identified who met criteria for CR and had multicolor flow cytometry performed on the bone marrow (BM). Monoclonal and pPCs were estimated during MRD testing. Final outcomes including overall survival (OS) and time to next treatment (TTNT) were compared among the groups. The median OS for the entire cohort was not reached (95% CI; 63 mos, NR) and the median TTNT was 31 months (95% CI; 27,36). Among the MRDneg group, median TTNT was 37.6 months vs 23 months for MRDpos patients (P < .001); the median OS was not reached for either group, but there was a trend toward better survival for MRDneg patients. Among the MRDpos group, median percentage of pPCs was 65% (2.5-98.5), and those with >95% pPCs had a significantly better TTNT (NR vs 23 months; P = .02) and a trend toward better OS. We conclude that achievement of MRD negativity predicts for better response durability and trend toward improved OS and an increased proportion of pPC predicts for better outcomes within those who have residual tumor cells highlighting the importance of marrow normalization.

Analysis of Clinical Factors and Outcomes Associated with Nonuse of Collected Peripheral Blood Stem Cells for Autologous Stem Cell Transplants in Transplant-Eligible Patients with Multiple Myeloma.

Collection and storage of peripheral blood stem cells (PBSCs) for use in autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) upon first disease relapse is an accepted practice for eligible patients with multiple myeloma (MM). However, little is known about the factors and outcomes associated with nonuse of these collected and stored PBSCs by MM patients who intended to have a delayed ASCT. From January 1, 2004 to December 31, 2014 we identified 342 patients who underwent collection and storage of their PBSCs in anticipation of a delayed ASCT upon first disease relapse. Among these, 176 patients (11%) had not proceeded to a delayed ASCT at the time of this study analysis. The most common reason for not undergoing an ASCT was not experiencing a relapse on first-line therapy (53%, n = 94). However, 11% of patients (n = 37) who planned for a delayed ASCT were unable to undergo an ASCT at disease relapse. Comparison with a control group of MM patients who underwent an upfront ASCT suggested a worse overall survival from diagnosis in these patients who were ASCT ineligible at disease relapse (112 versus 80 months, P = .011). This study provides valuable data for patients and care providers to take into consideration when deciding on whether to pursue an upfront or a delayed ASCT.

Time to plateau as a predictor of survival in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma.

Response rates in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma have improved dramatically with the introduction of highly effective novel therapies. However, survival in patients achieving optimal responses to initial treatment can vary significantly, and new prognostic indicators are required to improve risk stratification. We investigated the relationship between time to plateau (TPlat ) and survival in 1099 newly diagnosed patients treated with novel agents at our institution from 2005 to 2015. TPlat was defined as time from initiation of first-line therapy to best response to first-line therapy. The median TPlat was 4.9 months (0.7-58.6) and plateau duration was 1.8 years (0.2-11.0). Patients who required > 120 days to achieve a plateau had longer modified overall survival (mOS) and progression free survival (mPFS) calculated from a landmark of best response (P < .001 for both comparisons). Statistically significant improvement in mOS was retained in subgroup analysis based on age and whether patients received upfront autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (ASCT) (P < .001 for all comparisons). Our results suggest that patients who respond more gradually to initial therapy (TPlat > 120 days) experience longer survival compared to more rapid responders. Patients with a prolonged TPlat could represent an "ongoing responder" phenotype that portends a survival advantage independent of treatment with upfront ASCT, depth of response, and biologic markers such as ISS stage and cytogenetic risk.

Efficacy of VDT PACE-like regimens in treatment of relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma.

Experience with intensive chemotherapy for relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) using VDT PACE regimen and its modifications (VDT PACE-like regimens: VPLRs) outside TOTAL THERAPY trials is limited. We analyzed the outcomes of 141 patients with RRMM who received VPLRs at our center between 2006 and 2017 in an intent-to-treat analysis. Median age was 59.7 years and 66.7% of patients were male. A median of 2.2 years (range 0.02-11.4) separated diagnosis of myeloma and inititation of VPLR. High-risk cytogenetics were present in 52.4% patients. Patients received a median of 4 (range 1-14) prior therapies, including stem cell transplant (SCT) in 66.7% patients. Ninety-five (67.4%) patients received VDT PACE, 20 (14.2%) patients received VD PACE and 26 (18.4%) patients received other VPLRs. Patients received a median of 1 cycle (range 1-9) of VPLR. We observed ≥ minimal response in 68.4%, ≥ partial response (PR) in 54.4% and ≥ very good PR in 10.3% patients. Median progression-free survival was 3.1 months (95% CI, 1.9-3.9) and median overall survival (OS) was 8.1 months (CI, 6.2-9.9). One-hundred and sixteen (82.3%) patients received some therapy after VPLR; 71 (61.2%) received systemic chemotherapy, while 45 (38.8%) underwent SCT. Median OS for those who received SCT after VPLR was 15.1 months (CI, 10.3-20.8). Age ≥ 60 years (hazard ratio [HR] 2.3 [CI, 1.4-3.7]; P = 0.0008) and R-ISS III stage (HR- 2.4 [CI, 1.3-4.0]; P = 0.003) predicted shorter OS in patients receiving VPLR. VPLRs are effective in heavily pre-treated RRMM. In fit patients, SCT can be used to consolidate the response to VPLR.

OCULAR MANIFESTATIONS OF SYSTEMIC AMYLOIDOSIS.

PURPOSE: To describe ophthalmic manifestations of systemic amyloidosis, a group of devastating conditions. METHODS: A retrospective chart review including patients who had ocular examinations at Mayo Clinic between January 1, 1985, and April 1, 2014, and a diagnosis of light-chain (AL), secondary (AA), or nontransthyretin familial amyloidosis was undertaken. Sixty-eight patients with AL amyloidosis, eight patients with AA amyloidosis, and five patients with nontransthyretin familial amyloidosis were included. RESULTS: Of 68 patients, 8 patients (14 eyes) with AL amyloidosis had ocular involvement secondary to conjunctiva, temporal artery, extraocular muscle, trabecular meshwork, and cranial nerve deposition. One of the five patients with nontransthyretin familial amyloidosis had gelsolin-related corneal dystrophy. No patients with AA amyloidosis (n = 8) had ophthalmic manifestations. CONCLUSION: Systemic amyloidosis can lead to ocular morbidity. Patients with AL amyloidosis had involvement of the temporal artery, conjunctiva, extraocular muscles, trabecular meshwork, and cranial nerves. Those with gelsolin nontransthyretin familial amyloidosis were susceptible to corneal dystrophy. Patients with AA amyloidosis did not manifest ophthalmic involvement. Finally, if ocular amyloidosis is detected, patients should be referred for systemic workup.

Hematology patient reported symptom screen to assess quality of life for AL amyloidosis.

Patients with light chain amyloidosis (AL) often have delayed diagnosis and present with significant symptomatology; this may result in decreased quality of life (QOL). We prospectively employ a "Hematology Patient Reported Symptom Screen" (HPRSS), which is three questions about fatigue, pain, and QOL, scored 0-10. The aim of this study is to better understand QOL and determine if HPRSS parameters predict for clinical outcomes. From 2009 to 2014, 302 newly diagnosed AL patients were included. Baseline median scores [interquartile range] for fatigue, pain, and QOL were 6 [3,7], 2 [0,5], 5 [3,8], respectively. Median overall survival was 53 months, with 102 (34%) deaths in the first year. There were significant differences in baseline HPRSS between those that lived longer than one year and early death patients in the domains of fatigue (5 [IQR 3, 7] vs. 7 [IQR 5, 8], P < 0.0001) and QOL (6 [IQR 4, 8] vs. 5 [IQR 3, 7], P = 0.006). On univariate analysis fatigue, QOL, physician-reported performance status, autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT), and Mayo stage were prognostic for survival. On multivariate analysis Mayo stage, ASCT, and baseline fatigue remained independently prognostic. When analyses were restricted to the 125 patients with HPRSS measurements at 12 months, we found that over time QOL scores improved significantly 6 [IQR 3.5, 8] → 7 [IQR 5, 8] (P = 0.01). Asking AL patients to rate their fatigue and QOL has predictive value. Baseline patient reported fatigue is an independent prognostic factor for survival. Survival at one year was associated with significant improvement in QOL.

Clinical presentation and outcomes of patients with type 1 monoclonal cryoglobulinemia.

We describe a series of 102 patients diagnosed from January 1, 1990 to December 31, 2015 with Type 1 monoclonal cryoglobulinemia (MoC). Symptoms were seen in 89 (87%) patients, including: cutaneous symptoms in 64 (63%) patients, with purpura (n = 43, 42%) and ulcers/gangrene (n = 35, 34%) being most common; neurological findings in 33 (32%) patients, most frequently sensory neuropathy (n = 24, 24%); vasomotor symptoms, mainly Raynaud's phenomenon in 25 (25%); arthralgias in 24 (24%); and renal manifestations, primarily glomerulonephritis in 14 (14%) patients. An underlying lymphoproliferative disorder was identified in 94 (92%) subjects; MGUS-39, myeloma-20, lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma-21 and others-14. Treatment was initiated in 73 (72%) patients, primarily for cryoglobulinemia-related symptoms in 57. Treatment regimens consisted of: steroids ± alkylating agents in 29 (40%), novel myeloma therapies in 16 (22%), rituximab with alkylating agents in 12 (16%) and rituximab ± steroids in 11 (15%) patients; 22 patients received plasmapheresis. Six patients underwent autologous stem cell transplant. Cryocrit at treatment initiation, change in cryocrit and time to nadir cryocrit were predictive of symptom improvement. Treatment directed toward the underlying clonal disorder resulted in improvement (n = 47) or stabilization (n = 16) of symptoms in the majority of patients and disappearance of cryoglobulin in over one-half.

Treatment patterns and outcome following initial relapse or refractory disease in patients with systemic light chain amyloidosis.

We analyzed the outcomes following initial relapse or refractory disease in systemic light chain amyloidosis (AL) and the impact of type of therapy employed.A total of 1327 patients with AL seen at Mayo Clinic within 90 days of diagnosis, between 2006 and 2015, were reviewed. The study included 366 patients experiencing a documented hematological or organ relapse or refractory disease requiring start of second line therapy. Overall survival (OS) and time to next treatment (TTNT) were calculated from start of second line treatment.The median time to require second line treatment was 16.2 months (1-93) from the start of first line therapy. At relapse, patients received proteasome inhibitors (PI; 45.1%), immunomodulators (IMiD; 22.7%), alkylators (9%), PI and IMiD combination (4.1%), autologous transplant (3.8%), steroids and other therapies (4.9%). Among these, 124 (33.9%) required change or reinstitution of therapy. The median time to require third line treatment was 31 months (95% CI; 24, 40.5) and the median overall survival (OS) was 38.8 months (95% CI; 29.6, 52.6) from the start of second line treatment. Retreatment with same therapy at relapse significantly reduced TTNT (22 m vs 32.3 m; P = .01) as compared to different therapy; but did not have any impact OS (30.8 m vs 51.1 m; P = .5). In conclusion, this study provides important information about outcomes of patients with AL who require second line treatment for relapsed/refractory disease . Treatment with a different therapy at relapse improves time to next therapy but does not impact OS.

The prognostic significance of polyclonal bone marrow plasma cells in patients with relapsing multiple myeloma.

Prior studies have revealed that the presence of increasing number of polyclonal plasma cells (pPCs) in the bone marrow (BM) are associated with better outcomes in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (MM) patients. This effect has not been studied in patients with MM at the time of disease relapse. We determined the prognostic value of depletion of pPCs in the BM by 7-color multiparameter flow cytometry in a series of 174 relapsing MM patients. The time to next therapy (TTNT) in those with <5% pPCs was 9.4 months versus 13.9 months in those with ≥5% pPCs (P = .0091). The median overall survival (OS) in those with <5% pPCs was 21.4 months, while the median OS was not reached in those patients with ≥5% pPCs (P = .019). Of the 109 patients with standard risk cytogenetics, the median OS of those with <5% pPCs was 28.4 months, while the median OS was not reached in those with ≥5% pPCs (P = .033). As such, <5% pPCs in the BM appears to have prognostic utility in identifying a subset of relapsing MM patients, even with standard-risk cytogenetics, who have a particularly adverse outcome.

Trends in survival of patients with primary plasma cell leukemia: a population-based analysis.

Primary plasma cell leukemia (pPCL) is a rare malignancy with an aggressive course and poor outcome. There has been significant improvement in the survival of multiple myeloma patients over the past decade as a result of incorporating autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) and novel agents into treatment regimens. However, it is unknown whether these therapies have had a similar impact on the survival of patients with pPCL. We conducted an analysis of the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database to evaluate the trends in survival of 445 patients with pPCL between 1973 and 2009. The widespread availability of ASCT and use of novel agents in the upfront setting of multiple myeloma and pPCL began after 1995 and 2006, respectively. The median overall survival based on periods of diagnosis were 5, 6, 4, and 12 months for those diagnosed during 1973-1995, 1996-2000, 2001-2005, and 2006-2009, respectively (P = .001). Thus, the current study confirms the recent survival improvement in pPCL within a large US population that may be associated with the use of better therapeutic strategies.

The impact of dialysis on the survival of patients with immunoglobulin light chain (AL) amyloidosis undergoing autologous stem cell transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Acute renal failure requiring dialysis is associated with high mortality during autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT). This study examined the association between acute renal failure and mortality in immunoglobulin light chain (AL) amyloidosis during ASCT. METHODS: Between 1996 and 2010, 408 ASCT patients were evaluated. Data were collected from electronic medical records. RESULTS: Dialysis was performed on 72 (17.6%) patients. Eight patients started dialysis >30 days prior to ASCT (Group II), 36 started ±30 days after ASCT (Group III) and 28 initiated dialysis >1 month after ASCT (Group IV). Patients who never dialyzed were assigned to Group I. There were no significant age or sex differences. Median overall survival (OS) had not been reached in Groups I and II but was 7.0 months in Group III and 48.5 months in Group IV (P < 0.001). Treatment-related mortality (TRM) was observed in 44.4% of the patients in Group III, 6-fold higher than the next highest group (P < 0.001). The most common causes of TRM were cardiac and sepsis. In the multivariate analysis, only hypoalbuminemia (<2.5 g/dL, P < 0.001) and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <40 mL/min/1.73 m(2) (P < 0.001) were independently associated with starting dialysis within 30 days of ASCT. CONCLUSIONS: The study found significant differences in the OS depending on when the acute renal failure occurred. Patients who required dialysis within 30 days of ASCT had the highest rate of TRM. Screening with serum albumin and eGFR may reduce the risk.

Reduction in C-reactive protein indicates successful targeting of the IL-1/IL-6 axis resulting in improved survival in early stage multiple myeloma.

We report the long-term follow-up results of a phase II trial of IL-1 receptor antagonist and low-dose dexamethasone for early stage multiple myeloma (MM). Patients were eligible if they had smoldering multiple myeloma (SMM) or indolent multiple myeloma (IMM) without the need for immediate therapy. Forty seven patients were enrolled and subsequently treated with IL-1Ra; in 25/47 low-dose dexamethasone (20 mg weekly) was added. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS). In the clinical trial, three patients achieved a minor response (MR) to IL-1Ra alone; five patients a partial response (PR) and four patients an MR after addition of dexamethasone. Seven patients showed a decrease in the plasma cell labeling index (PCLI) which paralleled a decrease in the high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP). The median PFS for the 47 patients was 1116 days (37.2 months). The median PFS for patients without (n = 22) and with (n = 25) a decrease in their baseline hs-CRP was 326 days (11 months) vs. 3139 days (104 months) respectively (P <0.0001). The median overall survival (OS) for the 47 patients was 3482 days (9.5 years). The median OS for patients without and with a decrease in their baseline hs-CRP was 2885 days (7.9 years) vs. median not reached, respectively (P = 0.001). In SMM/IMM patients at risk for progression to active myeloma, reduction in the hs-CRP indicates successful targeting of the IL-1/IL-6 axis resulting in improved PFS and OS. (Clinical Trials.gov Identifier: NCT00635154) Am. J. Hematol. 91:571-574, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Long-term outcome of patients with POEMS syndrome: An update of the Mayo Clinic experience.

Over the past decade, a number of changes have occurred in the diagnostic evaluation, management, and long-term follow-up of patients with POEMS syndrome at our institution. This study included 291 patients with POEMS syndrome diagnosed at the Mayo Clinic between 1974 and 2014. Patients diagnosed after 2003 had more features of the syndrome identified at diagnosis and were more likely to receive an autologous transplant (49% versus 8%, P < 0.0001) and to have achieved a hematologic complete response (CR) to treatment (41% vs 25%, P < 0.0001). With 2273 person-years of follow-up, 10-year overall survival (OS) was 62% (95% C.I., 56%, 67%). On multivariate analysis, the three factors associated with superior OS were younger age (RR 0.98 [0.96-1.00]), albumin greater-than 3.2 g/dL (RR 0.5 [0.32-0.89]) and attainment of complete hematologic response (RR 0.4 [0.2, 0.9]). This study confirms the very good long-term outcomes of patients with POEMS syndrome and identifies two new prognostic risk factors: albumin at diagnosis and attainment of complete hematologic response. Am. J. Hematol. 91:585-589, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Clinical characteristics and outcomes in biclonal gammopathies.

A single monoclonal protein typically characterizes monoclonal gammopathies, but a small proportion may have more than one M protein identifiable. In the setting of symptomatic multiple myeloma (MM), the development of a new monoclonal protein following therapy is associated with better outcomes. As for the precursor conditions, monoclonal gammopathy undetermined significance (MGUS) and smoldering multiple myeloma (SMM), there is limited information on the impact of a second monoclonal protein on the disease course, including progression and response to treatment. The outcomes of patients with MGUS and SMM with more than one monoclonal protein, after identifying 539 patients with biclonal proteins on electrophoresis and/or immunofixation, were reported. About 22 of 393 patients with MGUS/biclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (BGUS) progressed to SMM (6), MM (11), AL (3), or WM (2), and 5 of 16 patients with biclonal SMM progressed to MM. The rate of progression for BGUS was approximately 1% per year, which is similar to MGUS with one monoclonal protein. The median estimated time of progression of biclonal SMM was 2.6 years; similar to monoclonal SMM. For patients with biclonal MM, both M spikes responded to treatment and, upon relapse, the original dominant M protein remained dominant as the disease progressed. In conclusion, the presence of a second monoclonal protein does not appear to affect the progression of precursor states and suggests multiple monoclonal proteins do not clinically impact one another in the course of the disease.

N-terminal fragment of the type-B natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) contributes to a simple new frailty score in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma.

Multiple myeloma (MM) patient frailty has been delineated primarily by age and ECOG performance score (PS) and recently by the IMWG frailty score based on functional status [Activity of Daily Living (ADL) and Instrumental-ADL scores], comorbidities [Charlson-comorbidity-index (CCI)] and age. It was hypothesized that N-terminal natriuretic peptide type B (NT-proBNP) might be both a more convenient measure of frailty and a predictor of overall survival (OS). Three-hundred and fifty-one consecutive symptomatic MM patients who were seen at Mayo Clinic within 30 days of diagnosis and who had blood stored were eligible. Data from the first visit was abstracted and used to calculate an ADL, CCI, and measure the NT-proBNP level. The best cutoff of NT-proBNP predicting OS was 300 ng/L. Variables predictive for OS were ECOG-PS, age, CCI, ADL, ISS, revised-ISS, and NT-proBNP. On multivariate analysis age ≥70, PS ≥2, and NT-proBNP ≥300 were independent predictors of survival. Patients were assigned a score of 1 for each of these variables, creating stages I-IV with scores of 0-3 points, respectively. The median OS from diagnosis was not reached, 58, 28, and 18 months (P < 0.0001), respectively. This frailty risk schema was independent of initial therapy and the revised-ISS. NT-proBNP is a useful predictor of survival independent of age and PS. It is a widely available biomarker that could be added to the panel of laboratory tests of newly diagnosed MM patients and serve as a simple and objective tool of determining frailty in clinical practice. Am. J. Hematol. 91:1129-1134, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Outcomes of patients with renal monoclonal immunoglobulin deposition disease.

Recent reports suggest that deep hematologic responses to chemotherapy are associated with improved renal outcomes in monoclonal immunoglobulin deposition disease (MIDD). Here we describe the long term outcomes and identify prognostic factors after first line treatment of the largest reported series of patients with MIDD. Between March 1992 and December 2014, 88 patients with MIDD were seen at Mayo Clinic, MN. Renal responses were defined using criteria used for light chain amyloidosis (AL) or those used by the IMWG. Sixty-one (69%) patients had a GFR < 30 mL/min/1.73 m2 and 16 (18%) were on renal replacement therapy at diagnosis. The interval between albuminuria or elevation in creatinine and MIDD diagnosis was 12 months suggesting a delay in diagnosis. Thirty-seven patients (42%) had at least a hematologic CR/VGPR. Fifty-three (60%) received an autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) or proteasome inhibitor (PI)-based treatments. Patients receiving ASCT or PI-based therapies were more likely to achieve at least a hematologic CR/VGPR compared to those receiving other therapies: 66% vs 2%, p < 0.0001. Patients that achieved a hematologic CR were more likely to achieve a renal response (53% vs 24%, p = 0.001). Five year overall and renal survival for the entire cohort was 67% and 57%, respectively. In multivariate analyses, a baseline GFR < 20 mL/min/1.73 m2 and a renal response (using AL or IMWG criteria) were independently predictive of progression to dialysis. This study confirms that deep hematologic responses, best achieved with ASCT or PI-based therapies, are a prerequisite to achieving renal responses. Am. J. Hematol. 91:1123-1128, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Outcomes of patients with POEMS syndrome treated initially with radiation.

POEMS syndrome is a rare plasma cell dyscrasia presenting with polyneuropathy and other systemic findings. Patients with 1 to 3 bone lesions and negative bone marrows are often treated with involved field radiation therapy as the initial and potentially definitive therapy. Long-term outcomes of patients treated with this approach have not been systematically studied. Of the 146 patients with POEMS syndrome seen at the Mayo Clinic between January 1999 and September 2011, 38 (26%) were given targeted radiation as their initial primary therapy and are the ones studied here. The median number of bone lesions was 1 (range: 1-6). The median dose of radiation administered was 45 Gy (range: 35-54 Gy). Complete or partial hematologic, vascular endothelial growth factor, fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography, and clinical responses were documented in 31%, 14%, 22%, and 47%, respectively. With median follow-up of 43 months, the 4-year overall survival is 97% and event-free survival is 52%. Risk factors for needing salvage therapy included reduced pulmonary diffusing capacity of carbon monoxide and increased urinary total protein. The presence of 3 lesions compared with 1 or 2 did not increase risk for treatment failure. Among selected patients with POEMS syndrome, radiation produces durable, meaningful responses.