Rapid Control of Previously Untreated Multiple Myeloma with Bortezomib-Lenalidomide-Dexamethasone (BLD).
Authors: Wang Michael , Delasalle Kay , Giralt Sergio , Alexanian Raymond 
Published: April 2020

Introduction: Both bortezomib (B) and lenalidomide (L) are effective against relapsed/refractory and newly-diagnosed multiple myeloma (MM). The 3-drug combination of bortezomib-thalidomide-dexamethasone had induced remission in 87% of patients with untreated myeloma, significantly higher than the frequency of 66% observed with thalidomide dexamethasone.

Patients and Method: We conducted a retrospective review of a pilot study in 17 previously-untreated patients with MM who were treated with bortezomib-lenalidomide dexamethasone between 4/06–4/07. Median age was 60 (35–71), median B2M was 3.7 mg/L (1.8–11.7) and median Hgb was 11 g/dl (6–14.7). Serum creatinine was greater than 2 mg/dl in one patient (6%). Bortezomib was given at 1.3 mg/m2 intravenously on days 1,4, 8 and 11; lenalidomide was at 25 mg orally daily for 21 days; and dexamethasone was at 20 mg/m2 daily orally for 4 days beginning on days 1, 9 and 17. Each cycle was 28 days. After the first cycle, a second cycle was given to 10 patients so that the median cycles of therapy was 2. As prophylaxis for deep vein thrombosis, all patients received warfarin with a targeted INR range between 2–3. All patients received daily orally vancyclovir to prevent herpes zoster.

Results: Applying the Blade criteria of response (PR: greater than 50% reduction of serum myeloma protein and/or greater than 90% reduction of Bence Jones protein), remission of disease was observed in 14/17 patients (82%), including 2 patients (12%) with CR based on negative immunofixations and 12 patients (70%) with PR. All but one patient achieved remission after 1 cycle of treatment. Three patients were resistant to bortezomib-lenalidomide-dexamethasone after 2 cycles. One patient had deep vein thrombosis with pulmonary emboli. One patient had short-term grade 3 neuropathy. One patient had grade 3 thrombocytopenia and one patient had nonneutropenic pneumonia. Median nadir neutrophil count was 3000/ul (range 1400–5400/ul), and median nadir platelet count was 174 k/ul (range 38–270 k/ul). After a median 3.6 months (range 3.3–5.5), intensive therapy supported by autologous blood stem cells was given to 11 patients. Three of the 11 patients in PR after induction with bortezomib-lenalidomide-dexamethasone were converted to CR with intensification. Consequently, the CR rate after intensification 29%. Intensification is planned for the 3 patients with primary resistant MM.

Discussion: Overall response and CR rates were similar to those observed previously among similar patients treated with bortezomib-thalidomide-dexamethasone. All reported primary treatment programs based on bortezomib-dexamethasone have induced high response rates of 82–92%, regardless of whether melphalan, lenalidomide, or thalidomide were included.

Conclusions: One or two cycles of bortezomib-lenalidomide-dexamethasone were associated with rapid onset of response in patients with newly-diagnosed multiple myeloma. Toxicity was infrequent due to short exposure to bortezomib-lenalidomide-dexamethasone. There was early access to intensive therapy supported by autologous stem cells. Reduced exposure to drugs given as primary treatment should help preserve disease sensitivity to later treatment upon relapse.