Melphalan, prednisone and lenalidomide followed by lenalidomide maintenance (MPR-R) demonstrated higher response rates (ORR; 77% vs. 50%, p <.001; VGPR or better: 32% vs. 12%, p <.001) and significantly reduced the risk of disease progression (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.423, p <.001) vs. MP alone [Palumbo, 2010]. Alongside efficacy considerations, analyses on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) may help more fully establish a regimen's overall treatment profile. HRQoL improvements with MPR-R were observed during MPR induction as well as lenalidomide maintenance, documenting a well-balanced profile in terms of efficacy, tolerability and HRQoL [Dimopoulos, 2011]. Alternative findings on novel NDMM treatment have shown efficacy of melphalan, prednisone and bortezomib (VMP) treatment to be associated with an intermittent deterioration in patients' HRQoL [Dhawan, 2009].

A mixed effects model was developed based on parameters pre-selected as potentially clinically relevant in impacting HRQoL. Models were run on six domains pre-selected based on clinical relevance: Global QoL, Physical Functioning, Fatigue and Pain (from EORTC QLQ-C30), and Disease Symptoms and Side Effects of Treatment (from EORTC MY20). Cycle 16 was determined as the last observation time point with a statistically meaningful sample size at time of follow-up (May 2010). Following explanatory variables were included: time-dependant covariates at individual HRQoL measurement time points (i.e. cycle 4, 7, 10, 13 and 16), treatment group (MPR-R vs. MP), gender (Female vs. Male), age, baseline QoL, Partial Response (PR) vs. Stable Disease (SD) and Very Good Partial Response or better (≥VGPR) vs. SD, Progressive Disease (PD) and Discontinuation (DC). Neutropenia and anemia, both Grade 3 or 4, were considered the clinically most relevant safety parameters. Main results for Global QoL are reported, with results from other domains found to be comparable.

Across all time-dependant covariates, a statistically significant reduction on Global QoL (−4.63; p=.004) was observed at Cycle 4. Being female vs. male significantly reduced Global QoL by -−.07 (p=.026). Each additional life year was found to lower Global QoL b− −0.40 points (p=.034). Baseline Global QoL was also significant, each additional score point leading to +0.30 (p <.001). A response level of ≥VGPR vs. SD increased Global QoL by 9.11 (p=.023); Progressive Disease (PD) reduced Global QoL by -−.34 score points (p <.001). All other pre-defined variables did not significantly impact Global QoL. Clinically meaningful changes for Global QoL in the underlying patient population have been determined to constitute at least a 7-point change [Dimopoulos, 2011]. Progressive disease (reducing Global QoL), respectively ≥VGPR (increasing Global QoL) exerted clinically meaningful changes, as did anemia grade 3–4, which had a clinically meaningful, but not statistically significant negative impact (−9.85; p=.057). Although no significant direct effect of MPR-R over MP on Global QoL was detected in the underlying model, MPR-R displays properties which favor an improved HRQoL profile, including a stronger delay in PD and higher % of VGPR vs. MP patients. Furthermore, certain properties more frequently observed with MPR-R than MP (neutropenia grade 3 or 4 and discontinuation, DC) were shown not to have a significant impact on HRQoL. Anemia grade 3 or 4, exerted a clinically meaningful negative effect but was not significantly more often observed with MPR-R compared to MP (24% vs. 17%, p= 0.091).

More patients achieved ≥VGPR when receiving continuous MPR-R treatment than those receiving MP. In the above pooled analysis, ≥VGPR was shown to improve Global QoL in a clinically meaningful and statistically significant way. Furthermore, progression was also shown to negatively impact Global QoL (−8.34; p <.001), with MPR-R significantly reducing the risk of disease progression over MP. Delaying progression with continuous MPR-R therefore helps to maintain a high Global QoL.

View Large

Dimopoulos:Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria. Off Label Use: Lenalidomide in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma. Palumbo:Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria; Janssen-Cilag: Consultancy, Honoraria; Ortho-Biotech: Honoraria. Hajek:Celgene: Honoraria; Janssen-Cilag: Honoraria; Merck: Honoraria. Petrucci:Celgene: Honoraria. Lewis:Celgene: Employment, Equity Ownership. Millar:Celgene: Consultancy. Zhang:Celgene: Employment, Equity Ownership. Mei:Celgene: Employment, Equity Ownership. Delforge:Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Janssen-Cilag: Consultancy, Honoraria, Speakers Bureau.