No abstract

Treatments for myeloma have expanded in the last decade, but it is not clear if the introduction of novel therapies and the increased use of high-dose therapy have translated into better outcome for patients with myeloma. We examined the outcome of 2 groups of patients seen at a single institution, one from time of diagnosis and the other from the time of relapse, to examine the survival trends over time. Among 387 patients relapsing after stemcell transplantation, a clear improvement in overall survival from the time of relapse was seen, with those relapsing after 2000 having a median overall survival of 23.9 versus 11.8 months (P < .001) for those who relapsed prior to this date. This improvement was independent of other prognostic factors. Patients treated with one or more of the newer drugs (thalidomide, lenalidomide, bortezomib) had longer survival from relapse (30.9 vs 14.8 months; P < .001). In a larger group of 2981 patients with newly diagnosed myeloma, those diagnosed in the last decade had a 50% improvement in overall survival (44.8 vs 29.9 months; P < .001). In this study, we demonstrate improved outcome of patients with myeloma in recent years, both in the relapsed setting as well as at diagnosis. IntroductionMultiple myeloma (MM), a neoplasm of plasma cells, affects 1 to 5 per 100 000 individuals each year worldwide with a higher incidence in the West. 1 It is the second most common hematologic malignancy in the United States, and it is estimated that there will be 19 900 new diagnoses and 10 790 deaths due to myeloma in 2007. 2 The median survival of patients with MM was less than a year before introduction of alkylating agents, and the introduction of melphalan in the 1960s resulted in improved survival. 3,4 A timeline of major therapeutic advances in multiple myeloma is outlined in Table 1. In the 1980s, introduction of high-dose chemotherapy and stem-cell rescue (ASCT) was introduced, and randomized trials since have demonstrated a survival advantage for this modality compared with conventional chemotherapy (CCT). [5][6][7] The introduction of thalidomide represented a major milestone in the treatment of myeloma, and the subsequent availability of its analog lenalidomide and the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib have expanded the therapeutic armamentarium for myeloma. [8][9][10][11][12] Incorporation of these novel agents has resulted in a paradigm shift in the treatment of myeloma, with their use earlier in the disease course. 13 While the new drugs have allowed successful salvage of relapsed disease, it is not clear if the survival of patients has improved during the last few years. We examined patients seen at our institution over a 36-year period to determine whether there has been an improvement in survival of myeloma patients seen during this time period. MethodsWe examined 2 cohorts of patients seen at Mayo Clinic with a diagnosis of MM. The first cohort consisted of 387 patients who were examined for potential improvement in survival following first relapse after ASCT. These patients we...

Therapy for multiple myeloma (MM) has dramatically changed in the past decade with introduction of new drugs, but it is not clear if the improvements have been sustained. We studied 1038 patients diagnosed between 2001 and 2010, grouping patients into two five-year periods by diagnosis, 2001–2005 and 2006–2010. The median estimated follow up for the cohort was 5.9 years with 47% alive at last follow up. The median overall survival (OS) for the entire cohort was 5.2 years; 4.6 years for patients in the 2001–2005 group compared with 6.1 years for the 2006–2010 cohort (P=0.002). The improvement was primarily seen among patients over 65 years; the 6-year OS improving from 31% to 56%; P<0.001. Only 10% of patients died during the first year in the latter group, compared with 17% in the earlier cohort (P<0.01), suggesting improvement in early mortality. The improved outcomes were linked closely to use of one or more new agents in initial therapy. The current results confirm continued survival improvement in MM and highlight the impact of initial therapy with novel agents. Most importantly, we demonstrate that the improved survival is benefitting older patients and that early mortality in this disease has reduced considerably.

The POEMS syndrome (coined to refer to polyneuropathy, organomegaly, endocrinopathy, M protein, and skin changes) remains poorly understood. Ambiguity exists over the features necessary to establish the diagnosis, treatment efficacy, and prognosis. We identified 99 patients with POEMS syndrome. Minimal criteria were a sensorimotor peripheral neuropathy and evidence of a monoclonal plasmaproliferative disorder. To distinguish POEMS from neuropathy associated with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance, additional criteria were included: a bone lesion, Castleman disease, organomegaly (or lymphadenopathy), endocrinopathy, edema (peripheral edema, ascites, or effusions), and skin changes. The median age at presentation was 51 years; 63% were men. Median survival was 165 months. With the exception of fingernail clubbing (P ‫؍‬ .03) and extravascular volume overload (P ‫؍‬ .04), no presenting feature, including the number of presenting features, was predictive of survival. Response to therapy (P < .001) was predictive of survival. Pulmonary hypertension, renal failure, thrombotic events, and congestive heart failure were observed and appear to be part of the syndrome. In 18 patients (18%), new disease manifestations developed over time. More than 50% of patients had a response to radiation, and 22% to 50% had responses to prednisone and a combination of melphalan and prednisone, respectively. We conclude that the median survival of patients with POEMS syndrome is 165 months, independent of the number of syndrome features, bone lesions, or plasma cells at diagnosis. Additional features of the syndrome often develop, but the complications of classic multiple myeloma rarely