Intensifying treatment in PET-positive multiple myeloma patients after upfront autologous stem cell transplantation

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

  • Jakob Nordberg Nørgaard
  • Niels Abildgaard
  • Anna Lysén
  • Galina Tsykunova
  • Vangsted, Annette Juul
  • Cristina João
  • Nora Remen
  • Lene Kongsgaard Nielsen
  • Liv Osnes
  • Caroline Stokke
  • James P. Connelly
  • Mona Elisabeth R. Revheim
  • Fredrik Schjesvold
  • Nordic Myeloma Study Group (NMSG)

18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET) positivity after first-line treatment with autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) in multiple myeloma is strongly correlated with reduced progression-free and overall survival. However, PET-positive patients who achieve PET negativity after treatment seem to have comparable outcomes to patients who were PET negative at diagnosis. Hence, giving PET-positive patients additional treatment may improve their outcome. In this phase II study, we screened first-line patients with very good partial response (VGPR) or better after ASCT with PET. PET-positive patients received four 28-day cycles of carfilzomib-lenalidomide-dexamethasone (KRd). Flow cytometry-based minimal residual disease (MRD) analysis was performed before and after treatment for correlation with PET. Overall, 159 patients were screened with PET. A total of 53 patients (33%) were PET positive and 57% of PET-positive patients were MRD negative, demonstrating that these response assessments are complementary. KRd consolidation converted 33% of PET-positive patients into PET negativity. MRD-negative patients were more likely to convert than MRD-positive patients. In summary, PET after ASCT detected residual disease in a substantial proportion of patients in VGPR or better, even in patients who were MRD negative, and KRd consolidation treatment changed PET status in 33% of patients.

Original languageEnglish
JournalLeukemia
Volume37
Issue number10
Pages (from-to)2107-2114
Number of pages8
ISSN0887-6924
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2023

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© 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.

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