[HTML][HTML] Interferon-α as maintenance therapy in patients with multiple myeloma
CG Schaar, HC Kluin-Nelemans, C Te Marvelde… - Annals of …, 2005 - Elsevier
CG Schaar, HC Kluin-Nelemans, C Te Marvelde, S Le Cessie, WP Breed, WE Fibbe…
Annals of Oncology, 2005•ElsevierBackground The effect of interferon-α 2b (IFN-α-2b) on progression-free and overall survival
as well as quality of life (QoL) was studied in mainly elderly patients with multiple myeloma
(MM), who reached a plateau phase after melphalan/prednisone induction. Patients and
methods In an open phase III trial, 262 patients, median age 69 years (range 34–91),
received at least 10 monthly courses of melphalan/prednisone followed by response
evaluation. Plateau phase was reached by 128 patients. Next, 90 patients were randomized …
as well as quality of life (QoL) was studied in mainly elderly patients with multiple myeloma
(MM), who reached a plateau phase after melphalan/prednisone induction. Patients and
methods In an open phase III trial, 262 patients, median age 69 years (range 34–91),
received at least 10 monthly courses of melphalan/prednisone followed by response
evaluation. Plateau phase was reached by 128 patients. Next, 90 patients were randomized …
Background
The effect of interferon-α 2b (IFN-α-2b) on progression-free and overall survival as well as quality of life (QoL) was studied in mainly elderly patients with multiple myeloma (MM), who reached a plateau phase after melphalan/prednisone induction.
Patients and methods
In an open phase III trial, 262 patients, median age 69 years (range 34–91), received at least 10 monthly courses of melphalan/prednisone followed by response evaluation. Plateau phase was reached by 128 patients. Next, 90 patients were randomized between IFN-α-2b and no maintenance therapy. Reasons for non-randomization were: refusal (18), concomitant disease (nine), protocol violation (six), WHO performance status >2 (four) and allogeneic transplantation (one)
Results
At a median follow-up from diagnosis of 97 months (0–140) for those patients alive, IFN-α-2b therapy was associated with improved progression-free survival (median 13.5 versus 8.4 months from randomization), although this did not translate in a better overall survival (41 versus 38.4 months). One-third of patients discontinued IFN-α due to toxicity. No differences were observed between patient groups in QoL.
Conclusions
IFN maintenance therapy in MM prolongs progression-free survival and, provided that the burden of toxicity is not too high, does not adversely affect QoL.
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