Use of serum B-cell maturation antigen levels to predict outcomes for myeloma patients treated with ruxolitinib, lenalidomide and methylprednisolone.

Previous retrospective studies have shown that serum B-cell maturation antigen (sBCMA) levels predict outcomes among patients with multiple myeloma (MM) undergoing new treatments. Specifically, baseline levels and changes during treatment of this protein predict both progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival. However, prospective studies are lacking evaluating sBCMA for determining outcomes among MM patients undergoing new treatments.

Baseline and Changes in Serum B-Cell Maturation Antigen Levels Rapidly Indicate Changes in Clinical Status Among Patients with Relapsed/Refractory Multiple Myeloma Starting New Therapy.

Background: B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA) is expressed on malignant plasma cells from patients with multiple myeloma (MM). These patients have higher levels of serum (s)BCMA than healthy subjects, and levels correlate with disease status. The half-life of sBCMA is only 24-36 h, and levels are independent of renal function.

Baseline serum B-cell maturation antigen levels predict time to disease progression for patients with smoldering multiple myeloma.

Multiple myeloma (MM) patients with smoldering (S) disease are defined by a lack of CRAB/SLiM criteria but may transform into disease requiring treatment. The International Myeloma Working Group risk stratification model for SMM uses serum M-protein, serum-free light chain ratio, and bone marrow plasma cell percentage. We investigated whether baseline serum B-cell maturation antigen (sBCMA) levels are predictive of disease progression among 65 patients with SMM.

Normalization of serum B-cell maturation antigen levels predicts overall survival among multiple myeloma patients starting treatment.

Serum B-cell maturation antigen (sBCMA) is a novel biomarker for B-cell malignancies. A normal reference range (<82·59 ng/ml) has been recently established but the impact of achieving normal levels to outcomes for patients receiving treatment for B-cell malignancies has not been studied. We first found that among multiple myeloma (MM) patients starting a new treatment, those who begin treatment within normal sBCMA limits (<82·59 ng/ml) have improved progression-free survival (PFS; P = 0·0398) and overall survival (OS; P = 0·0217) than those who do not.