Lenalidomide before and after autologous stem cell transplantation for transplant-eligible patients of all ages in the randomized, phase III, Myeloma XI trial

The optimal way to use immunomodulatory drugs as components of induction and maintenance therapy for multiple myeloma is unre-solved. We addressed this question in a large phase III randomized trial, Myeloma XI. Patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (n=2,042) were randomized to induction therapy with cyclophosphamide, thalidomide, and dexamethasone (CTD) or cyclophosphamide, lenalido-mide, and dexamethasone (CRD). Additional intensification therapy with cyclophosphamide, bortezomib, and dexamethasone (CVD) was adminis-tered before autologous stem-cell transplantation to patients with a subopti-mal response to induction therapy using a response-adapted approach. After receiving high-dose melphalan with autologous stem cell transplantation, eligible patients were further randomized to receive either lenalidomide alone or observation alone. Co-primary endpoints were progression-free sur-vival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). The CRD regimen was associated with significantly longer PFS (median: 36 vs. 33 months; hazard ratio [HR], 0.85; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.75-0.96; P=0.0116) and OS (3-year OS: 82.9% vs. 77.0%; HR, 0.77; 95% CI: 0.63-0.93; P=0.0072) compared with CTD. The PFS and OS results favored CRD over CTD across all subgroups, including patients with International Staging System stage III disease (HR for PFS, 0.73; 95% CI: 0.58-0.93; HR for OS, 0.78; 95% CI: 0.56-1.09), high-risk cytogenetics (HR for PFS, 0.60; 95% CI: 0.43-0.84; HR for OS, 0.70; 95% CI: 0.42-1.15) and ultra-high-risk cytogenetics (HR for PFS, 0.67; 95% CI: 0.41-1.11; HR for OS, 0.65; 95% CI: 0.34-1.25). Among patients randomized to lenalidomide maintenance (n=451) or observation (n=377), maintenance therapy improved PFS (median: 50 vs. 28 months; HR, 0.47; 95% CI: 0.37-0.60; P<0.0001). Optimal results for PFS and OS were achieved in the patients who received CRD induction and lenalidomide maintenance.

Automated summary

The results of the Myeloma XI phase III trial showed that CRD induction therapy resulted in better progression-free survival and overall survival for multiple myeloma patients, while lenalidomide maintenance therapy improved PFS.