Health-Related Quality of Life During Carfilzomib-Lenalidomide-Dexamethasone Consolidation: Findings From the Multiple Myeloma CONPET Study.

Background: In the CONPET study, multiple myeloma patients with abnormal 18FDG positron emission/computed tomography scan after upfront autologous stem cell transplantation were treated with four cycles of carfilzomib-lenalidomide-dexamethasone (KRd). Side effect registrations show that carfilzomib might cause dyspnea, cough, respiratory tract infections, and heart failure. The aims were to investigate patient-reported shortness of breath and dyspnea during KRd consolidation.

Methods: To assess shortness of breath, patients completed the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Pulmonary Symptom Index (FACT-PSI) and the EORTC QLQ-C30 to assess dyspnea. Shortness of breath was defined as decrease in FACT-PSI score or starting/increasing diuretic drugs. Mixed effect logistic regression was used for the effect analysis. Linear mixed model and clinical relevance were used to investigate dyspnea.

Results: A total of 50 patients were included, median age 62 years (interquartile range 54-67). 17% reported shortness of breath at Day 15 Cycles 1-4 versus 11% at Day 1 Cycles 2-4, Cycle 4 Day 29, and 1 month posttreatment (p-value 0.048). Compared with baseline, patients reported significant, and clinically relevant worsening in dyspnea during consolidation.

Conclusion: Our study confirmed earlier findings of carfilzomib causing shortness of breath during KRd administration and revealed dyspnea during consolidation compared to baseline.

Trial Registration: Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT03314636, EudraCT: 2017-000586-72.