Real-World Triple-Class Exposed Patients With R/R MM Receiving a Subsequent Line of Treatment Exhibit Poor Outcomes

Findings from a Retrospective Observational Cohort Study 

Real-world triple-class exposed (TCE) patients with relapsed/refractory (R/R) multiple myeloma (MM) who received a subsequent line of treatment exhibited poor outcomes, according to findings from a retrospective observational cohort study published in Clinical Lymphoma, Myeloma & Leukemia.

Hira Mian, MD, McMaster University, Ontario, Canada, and coauthors aimed to evaluate the treatment patterns, outcomes, health care utilization, and symptom burden of administering a subsequent line of treatment to triple-class exposed patients with R/R MM. 

In this study, 1358 patients with R/R MM in Ontario, Canada were identified as triple-class exposed. Among these patients, 36% (n = 489) were administered a subsequent line of treatment. Carfilzomib/dexamethasone and pomalidomide/dexamethasone were the most commonly used therapies as subsequent lines of treatment, given to 111 and 95 patients, respectively.

Results indicated that the median time to next treatment was 1.7 months and the median overall survival was 12.8 months. A total of 276 patients were evaluated in an emergency department or admitted to a hospital, making the healthcare utilization high. 

Additionally, the study authors reported that there was a high symptom burden among patients with moderate-severe impairment in well-being, fatigue, pain, and drowsiness, which was shown in over 25% of the cohort. A total of 48 patients were referred to palliative care, making the palliative care referrals rate low among this cohort. The majority of patients who died during the follow-up of this study died in hospital (n = 147). 

Mian et al concluded that this study “demonstrates the poor outcomes of TCE patients receiving a subsequent LOT.”

Source: 

Mian H, Seow H, Pond GR, et al. Treatment pattern, healthcare resource utilization and symptom burden among patients with triple class exposed multiple myeloma: A population-based cohort study. Clin Lymph, Leuk & Myel. Published online: February 13, 2024. doi: 10.1016/j.clml.2024.02.006