ASH 2020 | FORTE: MRD by MFC or NGS in myeloma

Francesca Gay, MD, PhD, University of Turin, Turin, Italy, discusses the results of a study comparing the impact of measurable residual disease (MRD), by multiparameter flow cytometry (MFC) and next-generation sequencing (NGS), on outcomes in patients with newly diagnosed transplant-eligible multiple myeloma. Patients from the FORTE trial (NCT02203643) and the rate of conversion from MRD-positive to MRD-negative was assessed in different treatment arms. The treatment arms included carfilzomib-lenalidomide-dexamethasone (KRd) followed by autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) and KRd consolidation, KRd alone for 12 cycles, or lenalidomide-cyclophosphamide-dexamethasone (KCd) induction followed by ASCT and KCd consolidation. High rates of positive to negative MRD conversion and sustained MRD-negativity were observed with KRd-transplant by both MFC and NGS, compared to the other two arms. Additionally, a high degree of concordance was observed between MFC and NGS techniques. This interview took place during the 62nd American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting and Exposition, 2020.