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Multiple myeloma (MM) frequently induces persisting osteolytic manifestations despite hematologic treatment response. This study aimed to establish a biometrically valid study endpoint for bone remineralization through quantitative and qualitative analyses in sequential CT scans. Twenty patients (seven women, 58 ± 8 years) with newly diagnosed MM received standardized induction therapy comprising the anti-SLAMF7 antibody elotuzumab, carfilzomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone (E-KRd). All patients underwent whole-body low-dose CT scans before and after six cycles of E-KRd. Two radiologists independently recorded osteolytic lesion sizes, as well as the presence of cortical destruction, pathologic fractures, rim and trabecular sclerosis. Bland–Altman analyses and Krippendorff’s α were employed to assess inter-reader reliability, which was high for lesion size measurement (standard error 1.2 mm) and all qualitative criteria assessed (α ≥ 0.74). After six cycles of E-KRd induction, osteolytic lesion size decreased by 22% (p < 0.001). While lesion size response did not correlate with the initial lesion size at baseline imaging (Pearson’s r = 0.144), logistic regression analysis revealed that the majority of responding osteolyses exhibited trabecular sclerosis (p < 0.001). The sum of osteolytic lesion sizes on sequential CT scans defines a reliable study endpoint to characterize bone remineralization. Patient level response is strongly associated with the presence of trabecular sclerosis.
The N,C-coupled naphthylisoquinoline alkaloid ancistrocladinium A belongs to a novel class of natural products with potent antiprotozoal activity. Its effects on tumor cells, however, have not yet been explored. We demonstrate the antitumor activity of ancistrocladinium A in multiple myeloma (MM), a yet incurable blood cancer that represents a model disease for adaptation to proteotoxic stress. Viability assays showed a potent apoptosis-inducing effect of ancistrocladinium A in MM cell lines, including those with proteasome inhibitor (PI) resistance, and in primary MM cells, but not in non-malignant blood cells. Concomitant treatment with the PI carfilzomib or the histone deacetylase inhibitor panobinostat strongly enhanced the ancistrocladinium A-induced apoptosis. Mass spectrometry with biotinylated ancistrocladinium A revealed significant enrichment of RNA-splicing-associated proteins. Affected RNA-splicing-associated pathways included genes involved in proteotoxic stress response, such as PSMB5-associated genes and the heat shock proteins HSP90 and HSP70. Furthermore, we found strong induction of ATF4 and the ATM/H2AX pathway, both of which are critically involved in the integrated cellular response following proteotoxic and oxidative stress. Taken together, our data indicate that ancistrocladinium A targets cellular stress regulation in MM and improves the therapeutic response to PIs or overcomes PI resistance, and thus may represent a promising potential therapeutic agent.
The multi-agent therapy “VDT-PACE” represents an established regimen in relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM). Here, we report on our experience with a “modified VDT-PACE” incorporating new generation anti-MM agents daratumumab and carfilzomib (“Dara-KDT-P(A)CE”). We retrospectively analyzed 38 patients with RRMM treated with “Dara-KDT-P(A)CE”. The median age was 62 (range 45–82) years, and the patients were heavily pretreated with a median of 5 (range 2–12) prior lines of therapy. Twenty-one (55%) patients suffered from penta-refractory MM. High-risk cytogenetics was present in 31 (81%) patients. The patients received a median of 2 (range 1–10) cycles of this therapy, and the overall response rate (ORR) was 70%. Patients with penta-refractory MM and high-risk cytogenetics showed similar ORR of 65% and 79%, respectively. The median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival were 4.1 (95% CI 2.7–5.4) and 8.4 (95% CI 6.7–10.0) months, respectively. Patients with lactate dehydrogenase >250 IU/L showed significantly shorter PFS in comparison with others patients (p = 0.006). We used this regimen as bridging therapy prior to chimeric antigen receptor T-cell infusion in four patients. In conclusion, “Dara-KDT-P(A)CE” is an effective salvage therapy for patients with heavily pretreated, multi-refractory, high-risk RRMM lacking alternative options.
Growing evidence points to multiple myeloma (MM) and its stromal microenvironment using several mechanisms to subvert effective immune and anti-tumor responses. Recent advances have uncovered the tumor-stromal cell influence in regulating the immune-microenvironment and have envisioned targeting these suppressive pathways to improve therapeutic outcomes. Nevertheless, some subgroups of patients include those with particularly unfavorable prognoses. Biological stratification can be used to categorize patient-, disease- or therapy-related factors, or alternatively, these biological determinants can be included in a dynamic model that customizes a given treatment to a specific patient. Genetic heterogeneity and current knowledge enforce a systematic and comprehensive bench-to-bedside approach. Given the increasing role of cancer stem cells (CSCs) in better characterizing the pathogenesis of solid and hematological malignancies, disease relapse, and drug resistance, identifying and describing CSCs is of paramount importance in the management of MM. Even though the function of CSCs is well-known in other cancer types, their role in MM remains elusive. With this review, we aim to provide an update on MM homing and resilience in the bone marrow micro milieu. These data are particularly interesting for clinicians facing unmet medical needs while designing novel treatment approaches for MM.
Background
Multiple myeloma (MM) is the third most common hematologic malignancy with increasing importance due to improving treatment strategies and long-term outcomes in an aging population. This study aims to analyse influencing factors on health-related quality of life (HRQoL), such as treatment strategies, participation in a clinical trial and patient characteristics like anxiety, depression, gender, and age. A better understanding of the individual factors in context with HRQoL could provide a helpful instrument for clinical decisions.
Methods
In this prospective observational study, the HRQoL of MM patients with different therapies (first-line and relapse) was quantified by standardized questionnaires (EORTC QLQ-C30 and -MY20) in the context of sociodemographic data, individual anxiety and depressiveness (PHQ-4), and a selected number of clinical parameters and symptoms at defined time-points before, during, and after therapy.
Results
In total, 70 patients were included in the study. The median age of the study cohort was 62 years. 44% were female and 56% were male patients. More than half of the patients were fully active with an ECOG 0. Global health status was significantly higher in patients with first-line treatment and even increased after start of therapy, while the pain level decreased. In contrast, patients with relapsed MM reported a decreasing global health status and increasing pain. Additionally, there was a higher global health status in less anxious/depressive patients. HRQoL decreased significantly after start of chemotherapy in the parameters body image, side effects of treatment, and cognitive functioning. Tandem stem-cell transplantation was not found to be a risk factor for higher impairment of HRQoL. Participation in a clinical study led to an improvement of most aspects of HRQoL. Among others, increased anxiety and depression, female gender, older age, impaired performance status, and recurrent disease can be early indicators for a reduced HRQoL.
Conclusion
This study showed the importance of regular longitudinal assessments of patient reported outcomes (PROs) in routine clinical care. For the first time, to our knowledge, we were able to demonstrate a potential impact between participation in clinical trials and HRQoL. However, due to frequently restrictive inclusion criteria for clinical trials, these MM patients might not be directly comparable with patients treated within standard therapy concepts. Further studies are needed to clarify the relevance of this preliminary data in order to develop an individualized, patient-centred, therapy concept.
A growing body of literature reports on the upregulation of C-X-C motif chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) in a variety of cancer entities, rendering this receptor as suitable target for molecular imaging and endoradiotherapy in a theranostic setting. For instance, the CXCR4-targeting positron emission tomography (PET) agent [\(^{68}\)Ga]PentixaFor has been proven useful for a comprehensive assessment of the current status quo of solid tumors, including adrenocortical carcinoma or small-cell lung cancer. In addition, [\(^{68}\)Ga]PentixaFor has also provided an excellent readout for hematological malignancies, such as multiple myeloma, marginal zone lymphoma, or mantle cell lymphoma. PET-based quantification of the CXCR4 capacities in vivo allows for selecting candidates that would be suitable for treatment using the theranostic equivalent [\(^{177}\)Lu]/[\(^{90}\)Y]PentixaTher. This CXCR4-directed theranostic concept has been used as a conditioning regimen prior to hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and to achieve sufficient anti-lymphoma/-tumor activity in particular for malignant tissues that are highly sensitive to radiation, such as the hematological system. Increasing the safety margin, pretherapeutic dosimetry is routinely performed to determine the optimal activity to enhance therapeutic efficacy and to reduce off-target adverse events. The present review will provide an overview of current applications for CXCR4-directed molecular imaging and will introduce the CXCR4-targeted theranostic concept for advanced hematological malignancies.
Background: Preservation of kidney function in newly diagnosed (ND) multiple myeloma (MM) helps to prevent excess toxicity. Patients (pts) from two prospective trials were analyzed, provided postinduction (PInd) restaging was performed. Pts received three cycles with bortezomib (btz), cyclophosphamide, and dexamethasone (dex; VCD) or btz, lenalidomide (len), and dex (VRd) or len, adriamycin, and dex (RAD). The minimum required estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was >30 mL/min. We analyzed the percent change of the renal function using the International Myeloma Working Group (IMWG) criteria and Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO)-defined categories. Results: Seven hundred and seventy-two patients were eligible. Three hundred and fifty-six received VCD, 214 VRd, and 202 RAD. VCD patients had the best baseline eGFR. The proportion of pts with eGFR <45 mL/min decreased from 7.3% at baseline to 1.9% PInd (p < 0.0001). Thirty-seven point one percent of VCD versus 49% of VRd patients had a decrease of GFR (p = 0.0872). IMWG-defined “renal complete response (CRrenal)” was achieved in 17/25 (68%) pts after VCD, 12/19 (63%) after RAD, and 14/27 (52%) after VRd (p = 0.4747). Conclusions: Analyzing a large and representative newly diagnosed myeloma (NDMM) group, we found no difference in CRrenal that occurred independently from the myeloma response across the three regimens. A trend towards deterioration of the renal function with VRd versus VCD may be explained by a better pretreatment “renal fitness” in the latter group.
Clinical and biological characteristics of medullary and extramedullary plasma cell dyscrasias
(2021)
Background: Extramedullary plasma cell (PC) disorders may occur as extramedullary disease in multiple myeloma (MM-EMD) or as primary extramedullary plasmocytoma (pEMP)/solitary osseous plasmocytoma (SOP). In this study, we aimed to obtain insights into the molecular mechanisms of extramedullary spread of clonal PC. Methods: Clinical and biological characteristics of 87 patients with MM-EMD (n = 49), pEMP/SOP (n = 20) and classical MM (n = 18) were analyzed by using immunohistochemistry (CXCR4, CD31, CD44 and CD81 staining) and cytoplasmic immunoglobulin staining combined with fluorescence in situ hybridization (cIg-FISH). Results: High expression of CD44, a cell-surface glycoprotein involved in cell-cell interactions, was significantly enriched in MM-EMD (90%) vs. pEMP/SOP (27%) or classical MM (33%) (p < 0.001). In addition, 1q21 amplification by clonal PC occurred at a similar frequency of MM-EMD (33%), pEMP/SOP (57%) and classical MM (44%). Conversely, del(17p13), t(4;14) and t(14;16) were completely absent in pEMP/SOP. Besides this, 1q21 amplification was identified in 64% of not paraskeletal samples from MM-EMD or pEMP compared to 9% of SOP or paraskeletal MM-EMD/pEMP and 44% of classical MM samples, respectively (p = 0.02). Conclusion: Expression of molecules involved in homing and cytogenetic aberrations differ between MM with or without EMD and pEMP/SOP.
Crizotinib was a first generation of ALK tyrosine kinase inhibitor approved for the treatment of ALK-positive non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) patients. COMPARE and cluster analyses of transcriptomic data of the NCI cell line panel indicated that genes with different cellular functions regulated the sensitivity or resistance of cancer cells to crizotinib. Transcription factor binding motif analyses in gene promoters divulged two transcription factors possibly regulating the expression of these genes, i.e., RXRA and GATA1, which are important for leukemia and erythroid development, respectively. COMPARE analyses also implied that cell lines of various cancer types displayed varying degrees of sensitivity to crizotinib. Unexpectedly, leukemia but not lung cancer cells were the most sensitive cells among the different types of NCI cancer cell lines. Re-examining this result in another panel of cell lines indeed revealed that crizotinib exhibited potent cytotoxicity towards acute myeloid leukemia and multiple myeloma cells. P-glycoprotein-overexpressing CEM/ADR5000 leukemia cells were cross-resistant to crizotinib. NCI-H929 multiple myeloma cells were the most sensitive cells. Hence, we evaluated the mode of action of crizotinib on these cells. Although crizotinib is a TKI, it showed highest correlation rates with DNA topoisomerase II inhibitors and tubulin inhibitors. The altered gene expression profiles after crizotinib treatment predicted several networks, where TOP2A and genes related to cell cycle were downregulated. Cell cycle analyses showed that cells incubated with crizotinib for 24 h accumulated in the G\(_2\)M phase. Crizotinib also increased the number of p-H3(Ser10)-positive NCI-H929 cells illustrating crizotinib's ability to prevent mitotic exit. However, cells accumulated in the sub-G\(_0\)G\(_1\) fraction with longer incubation periods, indicating apoptosis induction. Additionally, crizotinib disassembled the tubulin network of U2OS cells expressing an α-tubulin-GFP fusion protein, preventing migration of cancer cells. This result was verified by in vitro tubulin polymerization assays. In silico molecular docking also revealed a strong binding affinity of crizotinib to the colchicine and Vinca alkaloid binding sites. Taken together, these results demonstrate that crizotinib destabilized microtubules. Additionally, the decatenation assay showed that crizotinib partwise inhibited the catalytic activity of DNA topoisomerase II. In conclusion, crizotinib exerted kinase-independent cytotoxic effects through the dual inhibition of tubulin polymerization and topoisomerase II and might be used to treat not only NSCLC but also multiple myeloma.