Table 3. Characteristics of drugs that... | American Society of Hematology

Table 3.

Characteristics of drugs that could be used as maintenance therapy in MM

Drug	Route of administration	Clinical benefit		Adverse events						Cost
Drug	Route of administration	PFS	OS	BM suppression	SPMs	PN	DVT	Kidney toxicity	Others	Cost
IFN-α-2b	SC	NC	+	+	−	−	−	+	Poor tolerability (influenza-like syndrome)	+
Thal	Oral	++	NC	+	−*	++	+†	+	Poor tolerability	+
Len	Oral	++	++	++	+ *	−	+†	++	Rash, infections	++
Bor	IV/SC	++	NC	+	−	++/?	−	−	Herpes virus reactivation‡	++

Drug	Route of administration	Clinical benefit		Adverse events						Cost
Drug	Route of administration	PFS	OS	BM suppression	SPMs	PN	DVT	Kidney toxicity	Others	Cost
IFN-α-2b	SC	NC	+	+	−	−	−	+	Poor tolerability (influenza-like syndrome)	+
Thal	Oral	++	NC	+	−*	++	+†	+	Poor tolerability	+
Len	Oral	++	++	++	+ *	−	+†	++	Rash, infections	++
Bor	IV/SC	++	NC	+	−	++/?	−	−	Herpes virus reactivation‡	++

Clinical benefit: +, yes, but limited; ++, yes. Adverse effects: −: rare; +, common; ++, very common; ?, unknown (probably less common with Bor SC). Cost: +, cheapest option; ++, more expensive option.

Bor, bortezomib; DVT, deep vein thrombosis; IFN, interferon; Len, lenalidomide; NC, not clear; SC, subcutaneous; Thal, thalidomide.

Avoid melphalan-lenalidomide/thalidomide combination in elderly patients.

†

Prophylactic anticoagulant treatment is recommended.

‡

Acyclovir treatment is recommended.

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