Risk factors and causes of early mortality in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma in a "real-world" study: experiences of the Polish Myeloma Group.

INTRODUCTION Despite the progress made in the treatment of multiple myeloma (MM), approximately 10% to 15% of patients die within the first year of diagnosis. OBJECTIVES The aim of the study was to determine risk factors of early mortality in patients with newly diagnosed MM treated with new drugs in clinical practice. PATIENTS AND METHODS This multicenter analysis included 197 patients with symptomatic MM, diagnosed between October 2006 and November 2019, with a survival of less than 12 months. RESULTS The median overall survival was 2.5 months. The most common causes of early mortality were infections (35%), MM progression (23.8%), and cardiovascular disease (14.2%). In a multivariable analysis, the Zubrod performance score (P = 0.02), history of cardiovascular disease (P = 0.04), dependence on renal dialysis (P = 0.03), and MM response (P <0.001) were associated with early mortality. CONCLUSIONS Early mortality in MM patients requires further studies. When qualifying patients with newly diagnosed MM for chemotherapy, it is necessary to consider performance status and the history of comorbidities, including cardiovascular diseases.

Elotuzumab in the treatment of relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma.

Multiple myeloma (MM) is still considered an incurable disease. However, drugs with different mechanisms of action that can improve the efficiency of treatment offer hope. Still, there are concerns about an unacceptable increase in toxicity with such regimens. The results of recently published clinical studies of elotuzumab in combination with lenalidomide/dexamethasone or pomalidomide/dexamethasone confirm previous hopes to improve the effect of that treatment. Humanized monoclonal antibodies aimed at SLAMF7 stimulate natural killer cells to fight against MM cells. Elotuzumab used in combination with lenalidomide/dexamethasone or with pomalidomide/dexamethasone is approved by the US FDA to treat patients with relapsed and/or refractory MM. The article is a summary of the recent knowledge about the possibility of using elotuzumab in the treatment of relapsed and/or refractory MM and shows its potential uses in the future.

Evaluation on inflammatory states of peripheral veins connected with cannulation /

INTRODUCTION: Peripheral veins cannulation is one of the most frequently executed medical procedures. Primary blood infections which might be the result of peripheral veins cannulation are serious issue that medical care centers all over the world must consider. Medical personnel can choose the area of cannulation thanks to the availability of peripheral veins. Duration of cannulation longer than 72 ­ 96 hours can cause peripheral veins inflammation. AIM OF THE STUDY: Assay of observation sheets of peripheral cannulation. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 14926 patients, who were hospitalized in 2016 in the Municipal Hospital in Zabrze. Observations of each cannulation were recorded in observation sheets for peripheral veins cannulation. Patients age median and duration of cannulation median were calculated basing on 782 observation sheets with registered inflammation of the area of cannulation. RESULTS: Right forearm was area where the most (19%) of vein inflammation occurred. First level of veins inflammation according to criteria of veins inflammation intensity evaluation was the most frequent (90,7%). Duration of venous cannulation median indicated that most of the catheters were removed on the second day. When veins inflammation was diagnosed, the most frequent action was to remove the catheter. During 12 hours 697 observations of cannulation were proceeded. 548 observations of intravenous cannulation were proceeded once for 24 hours. CONCLUSIONS: Right forearm was area where the most of cannulations occurred. Frequent observation of the area of peripheral venous cannulation allows quick inflammation symptoms detection.

The importance of antiangiogenic effect in multiple myeloma treatment.

Angiogenesis plays a significant role in oncogenesis, and thus it has become an attractive target for cancer treatment. It is the formation of new blood vessels that occurs physiologically as well as under pathological conditions, and may influence cancer proliferation and survival. The current therapeutic approach in oncology includes conventional chemotherapy in combination with biologically-based treatment in various perspectives, targeting not only the malignant cells, but also its microenvironment. Target treatment might be less toxic than conventional chemotherapy. In multiple myeloma, there is a close connection between bone marrow stroma, myeloma cell growth and their ability to survive. It has been reported in many clinical observations that the more advanced the multiple myeloma, the more increased the angiogenesis, and this might correlate with the treatment response. There are several angiogenesis inhibitors already registered or in clinical trials in cancer treatment. Despite the continuous research on the development of prognostic factors and introduction of new agents in the treatment, multiple myeloma still remains an incurable and debilitating disease. Some antiangiogenic agents have already been introduced in multiple myeloma treatment, but there is still a need to search for new antiangiogenic drugs and the exploitation of angiogenesis in a clinical approach.

Prognostic indicators in primary plasma cell leukaemia: a multicentre retrospective study of 117 patients.

We report a multicentre retrospective study that analysed clinical characteristics and outcomes in 117 patients with primary plasma cell leukaemia (pPCL) treated at the participating institutions between January 2006 and December 2016. The median age at the time of pPCL diagnosis was 61 years. Ninety-eight patients were treated with novel agents, with an overall response rate of 78%. Fifty-five patients (64%) patients underwent upfront autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT). The median follow-up time was 50 months (95% confidence interval [CI] 33; 76), with a median overall survival (OS) for the entire group of 23 months (95% CI 15; 34). The median OS time in patients who underwent upfront ASCT was 35 months (95% CI 24·3; 46) as compared to 13 months (95% CI 6·3; 35·8) in patients who did not receive ASCT (P = 0·001). Multivariate analyses identified age ≥60 years, platelet count ≤100 × 109 /l and peripheral blood plasma cell count ≥20 × 109 /l as independent predictors of worse survival. The median OS in patients with 0, 1 or 2-3 of these risk factors was 46, 27 and 12 months, respectively (P < 0·001). Our findings support the use of novel agents and ASCT as frontline treatment in patients with pPCL. The constructed prognostic score should be independently validated.

Similar survival outcomes in patients with biclonal versus monoclonal myeloma: a multi-institutional matched case-control study.

Multiple myeloma is a plasma cell malignancy characterized by clonal proliferation of plasma cells in the bone marrow and associated organ damage. Usually, patients with myeloma present with a single monoclonal protein in serum and/or urine constituted by one heavy chain and one light chain. In less than 5% of the patients, more than one monoclonal protein can be identified. The aim of our retrospective multicenter matched case-control study was to describe the characteristics of cases with biclonal myeloma and compare them against a control group of monoclonal myeloma patients matched by age, sex, and year of diagnosis. A total of 50 previously untreated cases with biclonal myeloma and 50 matched controls with monoclonal myeloma were included in this study. The controls were matched (1:1) for age, sex, year of diagnosis, and participating center. There were no differences in the rates of anemia (52 vs. 59%; p = 0.52), renal dysfunction (36 vs. 34%; p = 0.83), hypercalcemia (9 vs. 16%; p = 0.28), or presence of lytic lesions (23 vs. 16%; p = 0.38) between groups. Similarly, there was no difference in the rates of overall response to therapy (85 vs. 90%; p = 0.88) or survival rates of cases with biclonal myeloma and controls with monoclonal myeloma (4-year survival 72 vs. 76%; p = 0.23). Results of our study suggest that patients with biclonal myeloma have similar response and survival rates than patients with monoclonal myeloma.

Elotuzumab: a novel immune-stimulating therapy to treat multiple myeloma.

INTRODUCTION: Multiple myeloma (MM), constantly remains debilitating disease, consequently leading to death. Clinical trials involving drugs with different mechanisms of action, carry the expectancy for improvement of treatment outcomes. The results of the currently published studies on the monoclonal antibodies, in particular elotuzumab confirm previous expectations of improving treatment outcomes of such therapy in MM patients. AREAS COVERED: This humanized monoclonal antibody targeting surface glycoprotein CS1, expressed commonly on plasma cells and certain cells of the immune system, stimulates the immune system to fight against MM cells. Elotuzumab in the combination with len/dex has been approved by the FDA for treatment of relapsed/refractory MM patients who have received one to three prior therapies. Expert commentary: This review summarizes the chemistry, mechanism of action and preclinical and clinical studies, pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, safety and toxicity of elotuzumab in terms of MM treatment and its potential application in the future.

Case-adjusted bortezomib-based strategy in routine therapy of relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma shown to be highly effective--a report by Polish Myeloma Study Group.

The observational study was aimed at evaluating response, survival and toxicity of bortezomib-based, case-adjusted regimens in real-life therapy of 708 relapsed/refractory MM patients. Bortezomib was combined with anthracyclines, steroids, thalidomide, alkylators or given in monotherapy. The ORR was 67.9% for refractory and 69.9% for relapsed MM. The median PFS was 14 months and OS 57 months. Patients responding to the therapy had the probability of a 4-year OS at 67.0%. No toxicity was noted in 33.1% of patients. Severe events (grade 3/4) were reported in 35.9% of patients: neurotoxicity (16.7%), neutropenia (9.2%), thrombocytopenia (8.5%), and infections (6.5%). Bortezomib-based, case-adjusted regimens are in real-life practice effective in salvage therapy offering reliable survival with acceptable toxicity for relapsed/refractory MM patients.

Bortezomib for the treatment of multiple myeloma.

Bortezomib is the first proteasome inhibitor drug tested in human patients. Bortezomib demonstrates a particular clinical utility in the treatment of multiple myeloma (MM), where it is the only one of the new drugs administered as mono-therapy that prolongs survival. The significant problem for the consistent pursuit of bortezomib was neurotoxicity, which has been significantly reduced by registering subcutaneous administration or being administered once per week. Bortezomib is currently approved for the treatment of patients with progressive MM in mono-therapy and in combination with prednisone and melphalan in cases of untreated patients who are not candidates for autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT) and in combination with dexamethasone or dexamethasone and thalidomide in untreated MM patients, who are candidates for treatment AHSCT. Clinical research is focused on the combination of bortezomib with other new drugs with the hope of further optimizing the treatment of patients with multiple myeloma.