Exploring facilitators and barriers to daily chlorhexidine gluconate bathing in adult patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Unlabelled: Hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) is a promising treatment for hematologic malignancies, but intensive conditioning leads to immunosuppression and susceptibility to healthcare-associated infections (HAI). Despite standard prevention measures, bloodstream infections (BSI) impact a significant percentage of immunocompromised HCT patients. Incidence of BSI can be mitigated by chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) bathing-an underutilized infection-prevention strategy.

Characteristics and Treatment Patterns of Long-surviving Patients With Multiple Myeloma: Over 13 Years of Follow-up in the Connect MM Registry.

Background: Over the last 15 years, improvements in patient management and treatments have been associated with longer survival in patients with multiple myeloma (MM). The Connect MM Registry is a long-running, US, multicenter, prospective observational cohort study of patients with newly diagnosed MM (NDMM). We assessed the demographics, clinical characteristics, and treatment patterns of long-term survivors (LTS) enrolled in this registry.

Impact of lenalidomide-bortezomib-dexamethasone induction on patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma and renal impairment: Results from the Connect® MM Registry.

Limited data exist on the effects of induction treatment in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM) and renal impairment (RI), who may also be ineligible for autologous stem cell transplant. This analysis investigated the impact of lenalidomide-bortezomib-dexamethasone (RVd) induction on renal function in patients from the Connect® MM Registry based on transplant status. Eligible patients were aged ≥18 years with symptomatic MM diagnosed ≤2 months before enrollment.

The Effect of Age and Other Patient Characteristics on Outcomes Among Nontransplanted Patients Who Were Treated With First-Line Lenalidomide, Bortezomib, and Dexamethasone: Results From the Connect MM Registry.

Background: Lenalidomide (R), bortezomib (V), and dexamethasone (d) is a standard-of-care regimen in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM); however, characteristics and outcomes for nontransplanted patients receiving frontline RVd are not well understood.

Patients: The Connect MM Registry is a large, US, multicenter, prospective observational cohort study of NDMM patients.

Methods: This analysis investigated characteristics and outcomes of patients who received RVd alone or followed by Rd or R (RVd ± Rd/R) who did not undergo frontline autologous stem cell transplantation.

Real-World Utilization of Radiation Therapy in Multiple Myeloma: An Analysis of the Connect MM Registry.

Purpose: Radiation therapy (RT) is an important treatment modality for patients with multiple myeloma (MM). Although patients are living longer with MM, they are more likely to have comorbidities related to treatment, such as bone pain; however, RT can provide symptom relief. To date, the characterization of patients who have received RT in the real-world setting has been limited.

Elranatamab in relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma: the MagnetisMM-1 phase 1 trial.

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a plasma cell malignancy expressing B cell maturation antigen (BCMA). Elranatamab, a bispecific antibody, engages BCMA on MM and CD3 on T cells. The MagnetisMM-1 trial evaluated its safety, pharmacokinetics and efficacy.

Selinexor-Based Triplet Regimens in Patients With Multiple Myeloma Previously Treated With Anti-CD38 Monoclonal Antibodies.

Background: The increasing use of anti-CD38 monoclonal antibodies (αCD38 mAbs) for newly diagnosed or early relapsed multiple myeloma (MM), especially in non-transplant eligible patients, may lead to more patients developing αCD38 mAb-refractory disease earlier in the treatment course with fewer treatment options.

Patients And Methods: We analyzed the efficacy and safety of selinexor-based triplets (selinexor+dexamethasone [Sd] plus pomalidomide [SPd, n = 23], bortezomib [SVd, n = 16] or carfilzomib (SKd, n = 23]) in a subset of STOMP (NCT02343042) and BOSTON (NCT03110562) study patients treated previously with αCD38 mAbs.

Results: Sixty-two patients (median 4 prior therapies, range 1 to 11, 90.

A Phase I Trial of SYK Inhibition with Fostamatinib in the Prevention and Treatment of Chronic Graft-Versus-Host Disease.

Despite the exciting advancement of novel therapies, chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) remains the most common cause of non-relapse mortality after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HCT). Frontline treatment of cGVHD involves systemic steroids, which are associated with significant morbidities. We previously found that inhibition of spleen tyrosine kinase (SYK) with fostamatinib preferentially eradicated aberrantly activated B cells in both ex vivo studies of cGVHD patient B cells, as well as in vivo mouse studies.

Treatment Patterns, Survival, Quality of Life, and Healthcare Resource Use Among Patients With Triple-Class Refractory Multiple Myeloma in US Clinical Practice: Findings From the Connect MM Disease Registry.

Background: Adults with triple-class refractory (TCR) multiple myeloma (MM) have limited treatment options and poor prognosis, but the burden of TCR MM has not been well characterized. This study evaluated treatment patterns, overall survival (OS), health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and healthcare resource use (HCRU) among patients with TCR MM in US clinical practice.

Patients And Methods: Patients with TCR MM in the Connect MM Registry (NCT01081028; a large, US, multicenter, prospective observational cohort study of patients with newly diagnosed MM) were included.

Phase I study of opaganib, an oral sphingosine kinase 2-specific inhibitor, in relapsed and/or refractory multiple myeloma.

Multiple myeloma (MM) remains an incurable disease and there is an unmet medical need for novel therapeutic drugs that do not share similar mechanisms of action with currently available agents. Sphingosine kinase 2 (SK2) is an innovative molecular target for anticancer therapy. We previously reported that treatment with SK2 inhibitor opaganib inhibited myeloma tumor growth in vitro and in vivo in a mouse xenograft model.

A Multicenter Phase II, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial of Maintenance Ixazomib After Allogeneic Transplantation for High-Risk Multiple Myeloma: Results of the Blood and Marrow Transplant Clinical Trials Network 1302 Trial.

The role of allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT) followed by maintenance therapy in high-risk multiple myeloma (MM) remains controversial. We evaluated the efficacy of ixazomib maintenance therapy after reduced-intensity conditioning allo-HCT from HLA-matched donors in patients with high-risk MM. The primary study endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS) postrandomization, treated as a time to event.

Geriatric Assessment Reveals Actionable Impairments in Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Candidates Age 18 to 80 Years.

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HCT) is a potentially curative treatment for both malignant and nonmalignant hematologic diseases; however, reported rates of treatment-related mortality approach 30%. Outcomes are worse in patients who begin HCT with functional impairments. To detect such impairments, a geriatric assessment (GA) is recommended in adults age ≥65 years.

Trajectories of quality of life recovery and symptom burden after autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation in multiple myeloma.

Early autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation (AHCT) with post-transplant maintenance therapy is standard of care in multiple myeloma (MM). While short-term quality of life (QOL) deterioration after AHCT is known, the long-term trajectories and symptom burden after transplantation are largely unknown. Toward this goal, a secondary analysis of QOL data of the BMT CTN 0702, a randomized controlled trial comparing outcomes of three treatment interventions after a single AHCT (N = 758), was conducted.

Anaplastic Multiple Myeloma: Case Series and Literature Review.

Background: Anaplastic multiple myeloma (AMM) is a very rare but distinct subtype of multiple myeloma (MM) with an extremely poor prognosis. Due to its rarity, AMM lacks detailed descriptions and clear definitions. Moreover, there is no consensus on the treatment and evidence suggests that AMM responds poorly to several novel therapies.

Home-Based Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation in the United States.

Patients undergoing allogeneic (allo) and autologous (auto) hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) require extensive hospitalizations or daily clinic visits for the duration of their transplantation. Home HCT, wherein patients live at home and providers make daily trips to the patient's residence to perform assessments and deliver any necessary interventions, may enhance patient quality of life and improve outcomes. We conducted the first study of home HCT in the United States to evaluate this model in the US healthcare setting and to determine the effect on clinical outcomes and quality of life.

Cognitive impairment in candidates for allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) is an increasingly common and curative treatment strategy to improve survival among individuals with malignant and nonmalignant diseases, with over one million HCTs having been performed worldwide. Neurocognitive dysfunction is a common and untoward consequence of HCT for many recipients, although few studies have examined the profile of neurocognitive impairments in HCT or their association with clinical features, such as frailty, or the incidence of pre-HCT neurocognitive impairments across all ages, which may influence post-HCT neurocognitive impairments. We examined the pattern and correlates of pre-transplant neurocognitive dysfunction in a prospective sample of adults undergoing HCT.

Effect of t (11;14) Abnormality on Outcomes of Patients With Newly Diagnosed Multiple Myeloma in the Connect MM Registry.

Background: The t (11;14) (q13;32) translocation [t (11;14)] is present in ∼20% of patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM), but studies examining its prognostic ability have yielded divergent results, and data are lacking on outcomes from first-line therapy.

Patients And Methods: Data from the Connect MM Registry, a large US, multicenter, prospective observational cohort study of patients with NDMM were used to examine the effect of t (11;14) status on first-line therapy outcomes in the Overall population (n = 1574) and race groups (African American [AA] vs. non-African American [NAA]).

A Phase II Study of Venetoclax in Combination With Pomalidomide and Dexamethasone in Relapsed/Refractory Multiple Myeloma.

Background: Venetoclax is a selective BCL-2 inhibitor with clinical activity in relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM). Combinations of venetoclax with agents that have complementary mechanisms of action may improve venetoclax efficacy in RRMM. This study evaluated venetoclax with pomalidomide and dexamethasone (VenPd) in RRMM.

A phase 2 trial of the somatostatin analog pasireotide to prevent GI toxicity and acute GVHD in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant.

Background: Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HCT) is an often curative intent treatment, however it is associated with significant gastrointestinal (GI) toxicity and treatment related mortality. Graft-versus-host disease is a significant contributor to transplant-related mortality. We performed a phase 2 trial of the somatostatin analog pasireotide to prevent gastrointestinal toxicity and GVHD after myeloablative allogeneic HCT.