Real-world effectiveness of ixazomib combined with lenalidomide and dexamethasone in relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma: the REMIX study.

Ixazomib (IXA) is an oral proteasome inhibitor (PI) used in combination with lenalidomide and dexamethasone (IXA-Rd) for patients with relapsed and/or refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM). The REMIX study is one of the largest prospective, real-world analysis of the effectiveness of IXA-Rd in the setting of RRMM. Conducted in France between August 2017 and October 2019, the REMIX study, a non-interventional prospective study, included 376 patients receiving IXA-Rd in second line or later and followed for at least 24 months. Primary endpoint was the median progression-free survival (mPFS). Median age was 71 years (Q1-Q3 65.0 - 77.5) with 18.4% of participants older than 80 years. IXA-Rd was initiated in L2, L3 and L4 + for 60.4%, 18.1% and 21.5%, respectively. mPFS was 19.1 months (95% CI [15.9, 21.5]) and overall response rate (ORR) was 73.1%. mPFS was 21.5, 21.9 and 5.8 months in patients receiving IXA-Rd as L2, L3, L4 + respectively. Among patients receiving IXA-Rd in L2 and L3, mPFS was similar for patients previously exposed to lenalidomide (19.5 months) than for those lenalidomide naive (not exposed, 22.6 months, p = 0.29). mPFS was 19.1 months in patients younger than 80 years and 17.4 months in those 80 years or older (p = 0.06) with similar ORR (72.4% and 76.8%) in both subgroups. Adverse events (AEs) were reported in 78.2% of patients including 40.7% of treatment-related AE. IXA discontinuation was due to toxicity in 21% of patients. To conclude, the results of the REMIX study are consistent with the results of Tourmaline-MM1 and confirm the benefit of IXA-Rd combination in real life. It shows the interest of IXA-Rd in an older and frailer population, with an acceptable effectiveness and tolerance.

Management of relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma in French hospitals and estimation of associated direct costs: a multi-centre retrospective cohort study.

WHAT IS KNOWN AND BACKGROUND: For relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM), a series of novel agents (thalidomide, bortezomib and lenalidomide) has emerged during the latest decade, but their use in routine clinical practice is not well documented as well as the cost of RRMM. OBJECTIVE: Our aim is to review the therapeutic management of such patients in France and to estimate the associated costs. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study, based on chart reviews, was conducted in French Haematology Departments over the period 2004-2007 and the associated direct costs estimated. RESULTS: One hundred and two patients with a relapse after first-line therapy were selected from five centres. The average follow-up from diagnosis or the date of first relapse to death or to the latest news was respectively 56.25 and 23.53 months. Novel agents were used in 73% of all cases, and in all cases of first relapse. Thalidomide and bortezomib were respectively the most frequently used second-line (57%) and third-line treatments (44%). The average number of lines of treatment received per patient as from first relapse was 2.75 (min 1; max 8) and the mean direct cost per month was estimated at 3130 € after the first relapse. This cost was represented in greater part by the cost of chemotherapy drugs (66%). WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSION: The use of novel agents such as thalidomide, bortezomib and lenalidomide for RRMM is highly prevalent in France from the first relapse. The associated medical cost is substantial mainly due to the cost of the new agents.

Heterogeneity of t(4;14) in multiple myeloma. Long-term follow-up of 100 cases treated with tandem transplantation in IFM99 trials.

One hundred de novo multiple myeloma patients with t(4;14) treated with double intensive therapy according to IFM99 protocols were retrospectively analyzed. The median overall survival (OS) and event-free survival (EFS) were 41.4 and 21 months, respectively, as compared to 65 and 37 for patients included in the IFM99 trials without t(4;14) (P<10(-7)). We identified a subgroup of patients presenting at diagnosis with both low beta(2)-microglobulin <4 mg/l and high hemoglobin (Hb) >/=10 g/l (46% of the cases) with a median OS of 54.6 months and a median EFS of 26 months, respectively, which benefits from high-dose therapy (HDT); conversely patients with one or both adverse prognostic factor (high beta(2)-microglobulin and/or low Hb) had a poor outcome. The achievement of either complete response or very good partial response after HDT was also a powerful independent prognostic factor for both OS and EFS.

VAD-PECC regimen in the treatment of advanced-stage multiple myeloma.

PURPOSE: This prospective study was undertaken to evaluate the efficacy of combination chemotherapy with alternating cycles of vincristine, doxorubicin, and dexamethasone (VAD) and prednisone, vindesine, carmustine, and cyclophosphamide (PECC) in poor-risk multiple myeloma (MM). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Forty-four patients were previously untreated; 36 had been pretreated with an alkylating agent-containing regimen and had refractory or relapsed MM. All previously untreated patients had a high tumor burden at inclusion (stage III according to the Durie and Salmon classification). Logistic regression and the Cox proportional hazards models were used to assess the association between patient characteristics and response rate and survival, respectively. RESULTS: The overall response rate was 68% for previously untreated patients, compared with 54% for previously treated patients (P = .16). The median survival time for all patients was 28 months: 53 months in previously untreated patients, and 18 months in previously treated patients. Univariate analysis showed that the predictive factors that had a significant affect on survival in the newly diagnosed patients were age, therapeutic response to VAD-PECC, low pretreatment Karnofsky score, high baseline serum beta 2-microglobulin (beta 2M) level, bone marrow impairment, and renal insufficiency at the start of treatment. When these parameters were used as continuous variables in multivariate analysis, three were found to correlate with survival: serum beta 2M, followed by therapeutic response and Karnofsky score. In the previously treated group, only Karnofsky score entered the Cox model. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that combination VAD-PECC chemotherapy is an effective treatment that results in high response rates and long-term survival in advanced MM.

Long-term outcome with pentostatin treatment in hairy cell leukemia patients. A French retrospective study of 238 patients.

With the introduction of new drugs such as alpha-interferon (IFN) and purine analogs, the management of hairy cell leukemia (HCL) patients has changed. However, deoxycoformycin (DCF) produced higher complete remission rates than IFN. The current study was undertaken to provide long-term data on duration of overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) and incidence of subsequent malignancies. We retrospectively analyzed the data of patients treated with DCF (4 mg/m2/day, every 2 weeks) from 39 French centers. In 84 of 238 included patients, DCF was the first-line therapy. Pretreatment variables influencing the achievement of complete remission, DFS, and OS were identified by multivariate analysis. Two hundred and thirty-eight patients received a median of nine cycles (range, 1-19 cycles). A complete remission was obtained in 182 of 230 evaluable patients (79%) and a partial response was obtained in 38 patients, for an overall response rate of 95.6%. In the multivariate analysis hemoglobin level less than 100 g/l and leukocytes less than 2 x 10(9)/l were parameters adversely influencing complete remission achievement. With a median follow-up of 63.5 months (range, 0.39-138.4 months), disease recurrence was observed in 34 of 220 responding patients (15%). The estimated 5-years and 10-years DFS was 88.1% and 68.8%, respectively. Hemoglobin level less than 100 g/l and leukocytes less than 2 x 10(9)/l were the pre-treatment variables associated with a shorter DFS. The estimated 5-year and 10-year OS were 89.4% and 88.7%, respectively. Hemoglobin level less than 100 g/l, leukocytes less than 2 x 10(9)/l, and adenopathy were significant factors of reduced survival. Hematologic toxicity was the main side-effect, followed by infection and emesis. During the period of follow-up, 18 patients developed second cancer, but the standardized incidence ratio was 0.95. Pentostatin is a highly effective regimen for hairy cell leukemia that produces durable complete responses. Toxicity of DCF is acceptable. Subsequent malignancies do not appear to be increased with pentostatin treatment.

[An anicteric cholectasis and nephrotic syndrome: AL amyloïdosis in a 51 years-old man]. / Une cholestase anictérique associée à un syndrome néphrotique chez un homme de 51 ans: découverte d'une amylose AL.

Amyloidosis is a multiple-organ disease for which the diagnosis is often confusing and thereby delayed. Here, we present an archetypal case illustrating such difficulties. A 51 years-old man presented a mixed dyslipemia in November 2002, in June 2004 he has finally been diagnosed with a primary AL-amyloidosis. Within these two years, the arising of a non-icteric cholestasis and a nephrotic syndrome have triggered the search for a disease related to a multiple-organ protein deposition. Confirmation of the AL-amyloidosis was obtained through an histological examination, including direct immuno-fluorescence. Amyloidosis is a life threatening disease that need to be diagnosed at an early stage, in order to maximise the therapeutic expectations. The average survival after the diagnosis of AL-amyloidosis is 5% at 10 years. Often, treatments are initiated late in the course of the disease, at a time when organ lesion are constituted, severely affecting the prognosis.

Long-term cultures to evaluate engraftment potential of CD34+ cells from peripheral blood after mobilization by chemotherapy with and without GM-CSF.

In this study we used a long-term culture system to evaluate engraftment potential of human peripheral blood (PB) cells mobilized by chemotherapy (CT) associated or not with granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF). In six patients who underwent blood cell transplantation, PB CD34+ cells were cultured after mobilization and were compared to CD34+ cells in steady state from PB and bone marrow (BM). Qualitative differences were shown between PBC samples obtained after CT with and without GM-CSF. Despite similar CFU-GM counts at culture initiation, GM-CSF-mobilized CD34+ cells might contain a lower proportion of primitive stem cells, as suggested by the significant decrease in CFU-GM numbers produced beyond week 5 compared to CT-mobilized CD34+ cells (p = 0.033). Likewise, the percentage of CFU-GM produced beyond week 5 in relation to initial input was significantly lower than steady-state PB (p = 0.039) and than CT-mobilized CD34+ cells (p = 0.033). However, this CFU-GM production with GM-CSF-mobilized PB CD34+ cells was not different from cultures with BMC CD34+ cells. These results suggest that GM-CSF can mobilize CFU-GM in the blood mainly by differentiation at the expense of the primitive stem cell compartment. It appears valuable to define clearly for each mobilizing procedure a particular threshold of CFU-GM which reflects sufficient numbers of primitive stem cells to ensure long-term engraftment.

[Pomalidomide for multiple myeloma]. / Le pomalidomide dans le myélome multiple.

Once characterized by a very poor outcome, multiple myeloma (MM) now has a significantly prolonged survival, with major improvements allowed by the use of "novel agents": proteasome inhibitors (first-in-class bortezomib) and immunomodulatory compounds (IMiDs; first-in-class thalidomide and lenalidomide). However, the vast majority - if not all - of patients with MM ultimately end up being refractory to all existing drugs, including these efficient novel agents. There is a clear unmet medical need in this situation, which warrants the development of the next generation of proteasome inhibitors and IMiDs, as well as new drug classes. This review focuses on pomalidomide, the next generation IMiD, recently approved by the US FDA and the EMA for patients with relapsed or refractory MM who have received at least two prior therapies, including lenalidomide and bortezomib, and have demonstrated disease progression on their last therapy.

Persistent decrease in proliferative potential of marrow CD34(+)cells exposed to early-acting growth factors after autologous bone marrow transplantation.

Post-graft hematopoiesis is characterized by long-term quantitative deficiency in marrow progenitor cells in both autologous and allogenic settings. In order to evaluate the function of post-graft progenitor cells, the proliferative capacity of marrow CD34(+) cells was evaluated in 10 patients 6 months after autologous bone marrow transplantation (ABMT) for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and compared to that of 10 patients before ABMT and 10 normal controls. Immuno-selected CD34(+) cells were cultured for 7 days in liquid serum-free medium with a combination of early-acting GF consisting of stem cell factor, IL-3 and IL-1beta. Clonogenic efficiency of unselected cells for CFU-GM and BFU-E was decreased in post-graft patients compared to pre-graft and control patients. However, clonogenic efficiency of selected CD34(+) cells for CFU-GM was not different in post-graft, pre-graft and control patients but BFU-E values of post-graft patients remained lower than those of control patients. Decreased percentages of CD34(+) CD38(-) cells were observed in both post-graft and pre-graft patients while those of CD34(+) c-kit(+) cells were similar in all three patient groups. After 7-day liquid culture, expansion yields of total progenitor cells were significantly lower in post-graft patients (147 +/- 28%) than in pre-graft (255 +/- 27%) and control patients (246 +/- 23%). Post-graft deficiency in progenitor cell expansion was particularly marked for BFU-E (61 +/- 24%) compared to pre-graft patients (220 +/- 82%) and to controls (349 +/- 82%). These results indicate impaired proliferative potential of marrow CD34(+) cells several months after ABMT involving erythroid progenitor cells and/or commitment towards erythroid lineage from a more immature stage (pre-CFU).

Intensive therapy with autologous stem cell transplantation as first-line therapy in poor-risk Hodgkin's disease and analysis of predictive factors of outcome.

The value of high-dose therapy with autologous stem cell transplantation as first-line therapy in poor prognosis Hodgkin's disease is controversial and we report the results of evaluation of twenty-six patients who were selected for this procedure from February 1989 to July 1994. They were all patients with stage IV at diagnosis with at least two other unfavourable characteristics, i.e. B symptoms, mediastinal mass greater than 0.45 of the thoracic diameter, two or more extranodal sites, bone marrow involvement, inguinal node involvement, serum lactic dehydrogenase greater than 400 IU/L, or low hematocrit. At the time of transplantation, 19 patients were in complete remission and 10 were in partial remission > or = 50%. Procedure-related mortality in the first 90 days post-graft was 7% overall. Of the 24 evaluable patients, 22 (92%) were assessed as complete responders, and 2 (8%) had progression of disease at 6 months. The actuarial overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS) and event-free survival (EFS) at 5 years were 69%, 79% and 58%, respectively. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to assess prognostic factors. In univariate analysis only one prognostic factor was found to be significantly associated with improved DFS, i.e. low serum lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) (DFS at 5 years: 92% if LDH < 400 IU/L vs 44% if LDH 400 IU/L, P = 0.007). DFS rates between first complete remission and first partial remission groups were not significantly different (DFS at 5 years: 87% vs 66%, p = 0.15). These first results are encouraging but randomized studies are needed.

Mediastinal large-cell lymphoma with sclerosis refractory to conventional chemotherapy can respond after daily oral cyclophosphamide.

Mediastinal large-cell lymphoma with sclerosis (MLCLS) is a distinctive subtype of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) with unique clinicopathology aspects and aggressive behavior. Prompt diagnosis and aggressive chemotherapy followed by consolidation radiotherapy may result in long-term survival in the majority of cases. However, a subset of patients do not respond to first-line or salvage treatment and have a poor prognosis. We report here a 27-year-old man with MLCLS resistant to several conventional chemotherapies and to radiotherapy who achieved a very good partial remission after one year's treatment with daily oral cyclophosphamide (100 mg/day). This is the first report of refractory MLCLS with good response to daily oral cyclophosphamide. This case suggests that daily oral monochemotherapy might be beneficial for some patients with mediastinal large-cell lymphoma with sclerosis refractory to conventional intravenous chemotherapies and radiotherapy.

[Role of high-dose chemotherapy with hemopoietic stem-cell support in the treatment of adult patients with high-grade glioma]. / Place de la chimiothérapie intensive avec autogreffe de cellules souches hématopoïétiques dans le traitement des tumeurs gliales de haut grade chez l'adulte.

Despite surgery, post-operative irradiation and adjuvant conventional chemotherapy, prognosis of high-grade gliomas remains poor. Carmustine (BCNU) has been shown to have limited activity at conventional dosage but is still the standard chemotherapy. Activity of chemotherapy is limited by the blood-brain barrier impermeability and high levels of expression of multidrug resistance proteins on tumor and/or endothelial cells. Despite high response rates, development of intra-arterial chemotherapy remains limited because of frequent acute brain toxicity related to drug administration. High-dose intravenous chemotherapy rescued by autologous hemopoietic stem cell transplantation is an alternative that might increase drug delivery through the blood-brain barrier and tumor control. Several phase I-II trials using high-dose BCNU were published. The maximum tolerated dose seems to be 800 mg/m2 and interstitial pneumonitis and hepatitis are dose-limiting toxicities. Few phase I-II trials of high-dose therapy were published using drug combinations. High response rates in patients with progressive tumor were observed and in adjuvant setting, encouraging results in terms of median survival time and long survivors were published. No phase III trial was reported to date. Future investigations should include randomized trials comparing high-dose and conventional-dose chemotherapy and development of new high-dose regimens that incorporate new drugs such as temozolomide.

A new serologic index for low-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma based on initial CA125 and LDH serum levels.

BACKGROUND: Serum CA125 (sCA125) was recently reported to be of clinical value in the staging and follow-up of patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). This report aims to investigate the prognostic value of a new serologic index combining sCA125 and LDH serum levels. PATIENTS AND METHODS: One hundred thirty-seven patients were studied, sixty-three with histologically proven low-grade NHL, and seventy-four with a high-grade subtype. RESULTS: sCA125 and LDH levels were elevated in more than one third of patients. sCA125 was more frequently increased than LDH in low-grade NHL. In this group, complete remission (CR) was achieved in 87, 45, and 0% (P = <2 x 10(-6)) of patients with normal sCA125 and LDH serum levels (Low-risk group), one parameter increased (Intermediate-risk group), and increased sCA125 and LDH serum levels (high-risk group), respectively. The estimated five-year overall survival was 97%, 67% and 22% for low, intermediate, and high-risk groups, respectively. This combination was the only parameter predictive of RFS and OS in multivariate analysis (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: In this study the combination of s-LDH and sCA125 levels (normal vs. abnormal) was found to be an important prognostic factor in low-grade lymphoma and may be used in the selection of appropriate therapeutic approaches for individual patients.

Multiple myeloma in elderly patients: presenting features and outcome.

Few studies have been performed regarding multiple myeloma (MM) in elderly patients. We report a retrospective series of 130 unselected patients with MM aged 75 yr or more at diagnosis. Presenting features were identical to those reported in younger patients, except for a higher rate of infection. Heavy comorbidity was characteristic of unselected geriatric patients. Ninety-four patients received conventional chemotherapy. The response rate was 62%. Treatment toxicity was mild. Median survival was 22 months. Durie-Salmon (DS) clinical stages II and III MM were severe and often led to death, while significantly more patients with DS stage I MM died from unrelated causes (p<0.0001). Univariate analysis showed that age > or = 85 yr, performance status > or = 2, creatinine level > or = 120 micromol/l, beta 2 microglobulin level > 4 mg/l, C-reactive protein level > 6 mg/l, platelet count < 100 x 10(9)/l, presence of infection and lack of response to chemotherapy were adverse prognostic factors for survival. In Cox multivariate regression analysis, age > or = 85 yr (p<0.0001), performance status > or = 2 (p<0.0001) and creatinine level > or = 120 micromol/l (p<0.0001) were independent factors in predicting short survival. This study provides evidence that in patients with symptomatic MM age should not be considered as a major obstacle to active treatment. Prospective clinical trials are needed in this population of patients and should include an assessment of quality of life.

Association between the SDF1-3'A allele and high levels of CD34(+) progenitor cells mobilized into peripheral blood in humans.

Some patients unexpectedly fail to mobilize sufficient numbers of haematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs) into the peripheral blood for autologous transplantation. Considering the important role of the chemokine stromal cell-derived factor 1 (SDF-1) in HPC homing, we investigated a possible relationship between SDF1 gene polymorphism and HPC mobilization capacity in 63 patients with malignancy. Some 67% of the good mobilizers (> or = 50 CD34(+) cells/microl) and only 36% of the intermediate/poor mobilizers were SDF1-3'A allele carriers (P = 0.032). In multivariate analysis, the presence of the SDF1-3'A allele was the only factor predictive of good CD34(+) cell mobilization (P = 0.025). This is the first report showing the involvement of genetic factors for HPC mobilization in humans and suggests a significant role for SDF-1 in this process.