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Highlights of Multiple Myeloma at the Annual Meeting of American Society of Hematology, 2016

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Abstract

This review discusses the landmark studies in the field of multiple myeloma (MM) which were presented at American society of hematology annual meeting, 2016. There were contrary results from two large phase III trials (one from US and one from Europe) that evaluated the role of additional interventions like tandem autologous transplant (ASCT) and consolidation after induction therapy followed by ASCT in newly diagnosed MM (NDMM) patients, but there were critical differences between the two studies. Novel agents like carfilzomib and ixazomib proved to be of benefit when used as induction and post ASCT consolidation and maintenance in NDMM. The early data on subcutaneous administration of daratumumab (DARA) looked promising. The high rate of minimal residual disease negativity after using DARA even in relapsed/refractory MM (RRMM) setting reinforces the benefit of targeting CD38. The responses seen with venetoclax in RRMM with t(11;14)(high BCL-2, low BCL-XL and MCL-1) and selinexor in penta-refractory myeloma which fulfills the FDA category of unmet need, opens up newer options for these patients. BCMA CAR-T infusion shows encouraging results in advanced refractory myeloma patients.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Hematology, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN, 55906, USA

    Nidhi Tandon & Shaji K. Kumar

Authors
  1. Nidhi Tandon
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  2. Shaji K. Kumar
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Shaji K. Kumar.

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Conflict of interest

First Author—None. Corresponding Author—Celgene (Consultancy and Research Funding), Millennium (Consultancy and Research Funding), Novartis (Research Funding), Onyx (Consultancy and Research Funding), AbbVie (Research Funding), Janssen (Consultancy and Research Funding), BMS (Consultancy and Research Funding).

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This article does not contain any studies with human participants or animals performed by any of the authors.

Additional information

Hematologists, oncologists, pathologists, scientists and trainees from all over the world attended the annual meeting of American Society of Hematology (ASH) at San Diego from 3rd to 6th December 2016. The meeting featured advances in clinical and translational research, evaluation of new diagnostic techniques and novel therapeutic approaches in patients with hematological disorders including malignancies. Various landmark studies were discussed in the field of multiple myeloma (MM) which are summarized in this review.

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Tandon, N., Kumar, S.K. Highlights of Multiple Myeloma at the Annual Meeting of American Society of Hematology, 2016. Indian J Hematol Blood Transfus 33, 153–158 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12288-017-0796-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12288-017-0796-x

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