Our study looked to answer the question if KRD is better than VRD as induction therapy for high-risk multiple myeloma patients before autologous stem cell transplantation. It included 121 newly diagnosed high-risk multiple myeloma patients, and those were subdivided as 63 KRD patients and 58 VRD patients. We defined high-risk as translocation 4;14, 14;16, 1q21 amplification, or del(17p).
We found that responses and MRD data were actually similar between both groups after induction and at day 100 after transplantation...
Our study looked to answer the question if KRD is better than VRD as induction therapy for high-risk multiple myeloma patients before autologous stem cell transplantation. It included 121 newly diagnosed high-risk multiple myeloma patients, and those were subdivided as 63 KRD patients and 58 VRD patients. We defined high-risk as translocation 4;14, 14;16, 1q21 amplification, or del(17p).
We found that responses and MRD data were actually similar between both groups after induction and at day 100 after transplantation. And similarly, the 3-year PFS and OS were also similar between both groups. The 3-year PFS in the KRD group was 53.5%, and in the VRD, it was 64%. And for the 3-year overall survival, the KRD group had 95.2% compared to 84.2% in the VRD group. So, overall, KRD induction prior to autologous stem cell transplantation in the high-risk patients did not show improvement. Of course, our study is a retrospective study, so it has to be confirmed in prospective randomized clinical trials. But, to me, this tells me that the choice between both regimens should be based on their toxicity profile, their side effect profile.