ASH 2018—Highlights in Multiple Myeloma

Abstract

More than 900 abstracts on multiple myeloma were presented at this year's ASH in San Diego. Several trials explored the addition of the monoclonal antibody daratumumab to established treatment regimens in both newly diagnosed as well as relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma. A long-awaited study tried to evaluate the role of double autologous stem cell transplant in multiple myeloma in newly diagnosed transplant eligible multiple myeloma. In relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma updates from several large trials like CAS-TOR and POLLUX were presented. Another spotlight were lenalidomide-refractory patients, an important patient group that is emerging as an increasingly challenging collective. Finally, abstracts on several novel agents like selinexor, venetoclax, isatuximab, melflufen and AMG420 were presented. Although still very preliminary, these data are already quite promising and illustrate the ever-changing treatment landscape in multiple myeloma.

News from ASH 2018—how can we afford innovation in the future?

“…The latest data presented at ASH 2018 (and also EHA 2019) document the continuous success in improving the outcome and tolerability of anti-cancer therapies and the management of coagulation disorders in hematology. Important topics are summarized in short reviews in this issue of MEMO [1][2][3][4]. Exemplarily, the integration of oral BTK and BCL-2 inhibitors into the first-line management of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) highlights the evolvement from classic chemo-immunotherapy to more targeted approaches using oral compounds guaranteeing better tolerability as well as higher efficacy in almost all CLL patient populations.…”