International Myeloma Working Group consensus approach to the treatment of multiple myeloma patients who are candidates for autologous stem cell transplantation

As novel agents are being more commonly used for the treatment of multiple myeloma, the role of high-dose therapy followed by autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) continues to evolve. Induction therapy is no longer just conventional chemotherapy regimens. Rather, induction therapy now uses “immunomodulatory derivatives thalidomide or lenalidomide and the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib. These drugs combine well with traditional therapies and with one another to form various doublet, triplet, and quadruplet regimens.”

This shift in treatment regimens at induction “has accounted for unprecedented rates of complete response that rival those previously seen with conventional chemotherapy and subsequent ASCT.” This new treatment approach has improved depth of response, leading to progression-free survival and longer overall survival.

This article reviews the “current literature and provides important perspectives and guidance on the major issues surrounding the optimal current management of younger, transplantation-eligible MM patients.”

Authors:

Cavo M, Rajkumar SV, Palumbo A, Moreau P, Orlowski R, Blade J, Sezer O, Ludwig H, Dimopoulos MA, Attal M, Sonneveld P, Boccadoro M, Anderson KC,Richardson PG, Bensinger W, Johnsen HE, Kroeger N, Gahrton G, Bergsagel PL, Vesole DH, Einsele H, Jagannath S, Niesvizky R, Durie BG, San Miguel J,Lonial S; International Myeloma Working Group

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