新药时代多发性骨髓瘤的维持治疗:第57届美国血液学会年会报道

近年来,多发性骨髓瘤(MM)的新药治疗发展迅速,但患者在目前已有的治疗条件下,疾病仍然在缓解与复发中反复.越来越多的证据表明,MM患者在最终治疗后接受长期维持治疗有助于抑制残留病灶,延长缓解期,并延迟复发.对于接受自体干细胞移植(ASCT)的MM患者,来那度胺维持治疗可以提高无进展生存(PFS)率,但并不延长总生存(OS)时间.对于不适合接受ASCT的MM患者,一项大型Ⅲ期临床研究对持续来那度胺加低剂量地塞米松治疗与标准的固定疗程美法仑、 泼尼松加沙利度胺治疗进行了比较,中期分析结果显示前者的PFS及OS优于后者.其他试验也就ASCT患者沙利度胺及硼替佐米维持治疗进行了研究,这两种药物也可作为不适合ASCT患者的维持治疗.然而,关于最佳治疗方案及持续时间等问题还需要通过前瞻性临床试验得出结论,但目前一致认为,维持治疗应该作为MM的常规治疗.文章对第57届美国血液学会(ASH)年会报道的MM维持治疗的相关研究进行回顾分析,以明确维持治疗在MM治疗中的作用.

Maintenance therapy for multiple myeloma in the era of novel agents:reports from the 57th American Society of Hematology annual meeting

Despite many recent advances in the treatment of multiple myeloma (MM), the course of the disease is characterized by a repeating pattern of periods of remission and relapse as patients cycle through the available treatment options. Evidence is mounting that long-term maintenance therapy may help suppressing residual disease after definitive therapy, prolonging remission and delaying relapse. For patients undergoing autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT), lenalidomide maintenance therapy has been shown to improve progression-free survival (PFS), however, it is still unclear whether this translates into extended overall survival (OS). For patients ineligible for ASCT, continuous therapy with lenalidomide and low-dose dexamethasone is shown to improve PFS and OS (interim analysis) compared with a standard, fixed-duration regimen of melphalan, prednisone, and thalidomide in a large phase Ⅲ trial. Other trials have also investigated thalidomide and bortezomib maintenance for ASCT patients, and both agents have been evaluated as continuous therapy for those who are ASCT ineligible. However, some important questions regarding the optimal regimen and duration of therapy must be answered by prospective clinical trials before maintenance therapy, and continuous therapy should be considered routine practice. This article reviewed the available data on the use of maintenance or continuous therapy strategies and highlights ongoing trials reported in the 57th American Society of Hematology (ASH) annual meeting that would help to further define the role of these strategies in the management of patients with newly diagnosed MM.