ESMO 2018: Adding Liposomal Doxorubicin to Standard First-Line Therapy in Multiple Myeloma
Posted: Wednesday, November 21, 2018
Adding pegylated liposomal doxorubicin to the standard-of-care triplet regimen for newly diagnosed multiple myeloma—bortezomib, thalidomide, and dexamethasone (VTd)—may prove to be an effective treatment option in this patient population. In addition, according to Mansi Khanderia, MBBS, of HCG Cancer Speciality Center, Bangalore, India, and colleagues, this novel combination approach may prove to be a cost-effective one as well, although larger studies are necessary to validate these conclusions. These study findings were presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) 2018 Congress in Munich (Abstract 1023P).
Dr. Khanderia’s team assessed the response rates of 60 patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma, who were randomly assigned 1:1 to receive either VTd or VTd plus pegylated liposomal doxorubicin in this observational study. All patients received standard VTd treatment, and then half also received the doxorubicin intravenously (30 mg/m2) on the first day of each cycle.
The difference in the stringent complete response rate—33.3% for the VTd arm and 53.3% for the VTd plus pegylated liposomal doxorubicin arm—was “clinically very significant,” reported Dr. Khanderia and colleagues. The overall response rates were 86.6% and 93.3%, respectively; the very good partial response rates were 73.3% and 86.6%, respectively.
“The role of liposomal doxorubicin in [the] first-line setting as a fourth agent along with [a] triple-drug regimen in treatment of multiple myeloma looks promising, especially in countries with financial constraints,” the investigators concluded.
