A phase Ib trial of isatuximab, bendamustine, and prednisone in relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma.

Introduction: Patients with triple-class refractory (TCR) multiple myeloma (MM) often need cytoreductive chemotherapy for rapid disease control. Bendamustine is an outpatient-administered, bifunctional alkylator and isatuximab is an anti-CD38 monoclonal antibody with unique cytotoxicity characteristics. We hypothesized that isatuximab-bendamustine-prednisone would be well-tolerated regimen in TCR MM, and conducted single-center, phase Ib, investigator-initiated study.

IL-10R inhibition reprograms tumor-associated macrophages and reverses drug resistance in multiple myeloma.

Multiple myeloma (MM) is the cancer of plasma cells within the bone marrow and remains incurable. Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) within the tumor microenvironment often display a pro-tumor phenotype and correlate with tumor proliferation, survival, and therapy resistance. IL-10 is a key immunosuppressive cytokine that leads to recruitment and development of TAMs.

Treatment Access among Younger Medicaid Beneficiaries with Multiple Myeloma.

Purpose: Continuous Medicaid coverage prior to a cancer diagnosis has been associated with earlier detection and better outcomes, for patients with solid tumors. In this study, we aimed to determine if this was observed among patients with multiple myeloma, a hematologic cancer where there are no routine screening tests and most are diagnosed through acute medical events.

Materials And Methods: This is an analysis of the Merative MarketScan Multistate Medicaid Database, a claims-based dataset.

Somatic mutation phasing and haplotype extension using linked-reads in multiple myeloma.

Somatic mutation phasing informs our understanding of cancer-related events, like driver mutations. We generated linked-read whole genome sequencing data for 23 samples across disease stages from 14 multiple myeloma (MM) patients and systematically assigned somatic mutations to haplotypes using linked-reads. Here, we report the reconstructed cancer haplotypes and phase blocks from several MM samples and show how phase block length can be extended by integrating samples from the same individual.

binds to CELF2 in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma promoting short progression-free survival to standard therapy.

Multiple Myeloma (MM) is a highly prevalent and incurable form of cancer that arises from malignant plasma cells, with over 35,000 new cases diagnosed annually in the United States. While there are a growing number of approved therapies, MM remains incurable and nearly all patients will relapse and exhaust all available treatment options. Mechanisms for disease progression are unclear and in particular, little is known regarding the role of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNA) in mediating disease progression and response to treatment.

Financial Toxicity and Willingness-to-Pay for Cancer Treatment Among People With Multiple Myeloma.

Purpose: This study used willingness-to-pay (WTP) exercises to explore the relationships between race, financial toxicity, and treatment decision making among people with cancer.

Methods: A convenience sample of people with multiple myeloma who attended an academic medical center in 2022 was surveyed. Financial toxicity was assessed by the Comprehensive Score for financial Toxicity, with scores <26 indicating financial toxicity.

A single-cell atlas characterizes dysregulation of the bone marrow immune microenvironment associated with outcomes in multiple myeloma.

Multiple Myeloma (MM) remains incurable despite advances in treatment options. Although tumor subtypes and specific DNA abnormalities are linked to worse prognosis, the impact of immune dysfunction on disease emergence and/or treatment sensitivity remains unclear. We established a harmonized consortium to generate an Immune Atlas of MM aimed at informing disease etiology, risk stratification, and potential therapeutic strategies.

A structured oral chemotherapy teaching tool to improve adherence in adults with multiple myeloma: A pilot randomized controlled trial.

Introduction: Many of the newer treatments for adults with newly-diagnosed and relapsed multiple myeloma (MM) are orally administered. Adherence is a challenge, and little is known about strategies to optimize adherence.

Materials And Methods: Forty-seven patients initiating orally-administered anti-myeloma therapy were enrolled and randomized in a pilot study to receive either standard of care teaching or the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer Oral agent Teaching Tool (MOATT), a structured teaching tool.

Mixed-Methods Study on the Responsiveness of the Comprehensive Score for Financial Toxicity Among People With Multiple Myeloma.

Purpose: Financial toxicity is a contributor to the psychosocial burden of cancer care. There is no consensus measure of financial toxicity; however, recent studies have adopted the Comprehensive Score for Financial Toxicity (COST). Despite its growing popularity, data on the responsiveness to change of the COST instrument are lacking.

D-dimer predicts venous thromboembolism in multiple myeloma: a nested case-control study.

Background: Clinical risk assessment scores, such as IMPEDE VTE, can identify patients with multiple myeloma (MM) at high-risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE). Refinement of these scores, by including 1 or more biomarkers, could improve risk assessment.

Objectives: We sought to determine the association between soluble P-selectin (sP-selectin) and D-dimer with VTE in MM.

Duvelisib for Critically Ill Patients With Coronavirus Disease 2019: An Investigator-Initiated, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Double-Blind Pilot Trial.

Background: Despite improvements in prevention and treatment, severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is associated with high mortality. Phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) pathways contribute to cytokine and cell-mediated lung inflammation. We conducted a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind pilot trial to determine the feasibility, safety, and preliminary activity of duvelisib, a PI3Kδγ inhibitor, for the treatment of COVID-19 critical illness.

Continuous Elotuzumab, Pomalidomide, and Dexamethasone Maintenance Following Second Autologous Transplantation for Multiple Myeloma: Results of a Prospective Phase 2 Multicenter Trial.

Second autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation (AHCT2) is a useful therapeutic modality for fit patients with multiple myeloma who have durable remission after upfront AHCT. Retrospective studies have suggested a significant benefit of incorporating maintenance therapy post-AHCT2, but prospective data on specific regimens are lacking. The purpose of this study was to investigate the use of elotuzumab, pomalidomide, and dexamethasone (EPd) as salvage therapy prior to and maintenance after AHCT2 for relapsed multiple myeloma.

Disparities in Multiple Myeloma Treatment Patterns in the United States: A Systematic Review.

We performed a systematic review of the literature investigating the demographic and insurance-related factors linked to disparities in multiple myeloma (MM) care patterns in the United States from 2003 to 2021. Forty-six observational studies were included. Disparities in MM care patterns were reported based on patient race in 76% of studies (34 out of 45 that captured race as a study variable), ethnicity in 60% (12 out of 20), insurance in 77% (17 out of 22), and distance from treating facility, urbanicity, or geographic region in 62% (13 out of 21).

Phase I-II Trial of Early Azacitidine after Matched Unrelated Donor Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation.

Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is a major complication after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT). The hypomethylating agent azacitidine (AZA) has been shown to be effective in preclinical and clinical studies for the prevention of acute GVHD (aGVHD). We sought to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of AZA when given on days 1 to 5 of a 28-day cycle for 4 cycles, starting on day +7 after allo-HCT, as well as its impact on aGVHD and chronic GVHD (cGVHD), relapse, and overall survival (OS) in patients undergoing matched unrelated donor allo-HCT.

Venous Thromboembolism Risk in Patients With Newly Diagnosed Multiple Myeloma Treated with Carfilzomib or Bortezomib in Combination With Lenalidomide and Dexamethasone.

Background: Multiple myeloma (MM), as well as some treatments for MM, increase the risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE). Prior literature suggests carfilzomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone (KRd) may have a higher incidence of thromboembolic events compared with bortezomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone (VRd). We aimed to evaluate VTE risk with KRd induction compared to VRd at a large academic medical center in the United States.

Frailty and survival among veterans treated with abiraterone or enzalutamide for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer.

Introduction: Abiraterone and enzalutamide are treatments for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). Due to a lack of head-to-head trials, they are prescribed interchangeably. However, the drugs have different pharmacokinetics and thus may have differing efficacy and adverse effects influenced by patient functional status and comorbid diseases.

Dynamic frailty risk assessment among older adults with multiple myeloma: A population-based cohort study.

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a cancer of older adults and those who are more frail are at high risk of poor outcomes. Current tools for identifying and categorizing frail patients are often static and measured only at the time of diagnosis. The concept of dynamic frailty (i.

A Single Reference Interval for Interpreting Serum Free Light Chains across Patients with Varying Renal Function.

Background: Serum free light chain (sFLC) assays are interpreted using a sFLC-ratio-based reference interval (manufacturer's interval) that was defined using a cohort of healthy patients. However, renal impairment elevates the sFLC-ratio, leading to a high false positive rate when using the manufacturer's interval. Prior studies have developed renal-specific reference intervals; however, this approach has not been widely adopted due to practical limitations.