Combination Therapy Based on Bortezomib for Newly-Diagnosed Multiple Myeloma: a Chinese Experience

Between June 2006 and June 2010, 61 consecutive newly-diagnosed patients with symptomatic MM were treated with combination therapies based on Bortezomib. Forty-two patients were male and 19 were female. Median age was 59 years (range 37–86 years). Forty-four patients were stage 3 according to the International Staging System, 6 patients were stage 2 and 11 patients were stage 1. The conbinations included dexamethasone, dexamethasone plus subsequent thalidomide and dexamethasone plus cyclophosphamide. In detail, Bortezomib was at the dose of 1.3 mg per square meter IV on days 1, 4, 8, 11 and dexamethasone at 20 mg per square meter IV daily on the day of bortezomib and the day after, with or without daily oral thalidomide that was escalated from 100 mg to 200 mg (BD group or BDT group) or plus cyclophosphamide at 0.2 per square meter IV on days 1 to days 4 (BDC group). Thirty-four patients were in BDT group, 12 in BD group and 15 in BDC group. All patients received a median of three cycles of therapy (range 1–6). The IMWG criteria were used for response evaluation and toxicities were evluated according to the NCI Common Toxicity Criteria version 3.

The proportions of patients with very good partial response (VGPR) or better were 38% (13/34), 25% (3/12) and 60% (9/15) in BDT, BD and BDC group, respectively; 44% (15/34), 33% (4/12) and 33% (5/15) achieved partial response (PR). Therefore the overall response (VGPR plus PR) were 82% (28/34), 58% (7/12) and 93% (14/15). Three patients died with severe infection without disease progression. Grade 3–4 toxicities included fatigue (4/34, 1/12 and 4/15), thrombocytopenia (8/34, 3/12 and 5/15), diarrhea (4/34, 2/12 and 2/15) and infection (7/34,3/12,6/15) in BDT, BD and BDC group, respectively. Grade 1–2 neuropathy were occurred in 20 patients (59%), 6 patients (50%) and 9 patients (60%) and grade 3–4 were occurred in 6 (18%), 1 (8%) and 1 (7%) in BDT, BD and BDC group, respectively. Herpes zoster occurred in 6 patients (18%), 1 patients (8%) and 2 patients (13%) respectively. Routine anticoagulation or anti-thrombsis were not used. Only 1 patient suffered from DVT/PE but did well with treatment.

Our preliminary experience in Chinese patients indicated that combination chemotherapy based on Bortezomib is highly effective in newly-diagnosed multiple myeloma and BDC or BDT regimens may be more superior than BD in Chinese population. There were relative lower rates of grade 3–4 neuropathy and DVT/PE in the Chinese patients with MM receved combination chemotherapy based on bortezomib.

No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.