Systematic Literature Review and Network Meta-Analysis of Treatment Outcomes in Relapsed and/or Refractory Multiple

Chrissy H Y van Beurden-Tan1, Margreet G Franken1, Hedwig M Blommestein1

  • 1Chrissy H.Y. van Beurden-Tan and Pieter Sonneveld, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute; Margreet G. Franken, Hedwig M. Blommestein, and Carin A. Uyl-de Groot, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam; and Hedwig M. Blommestein and Carin A. Uyl-de Groot, Comprehensive Cancer Organisation, Utrecht, the Netherlands.

Insights

The best treatment for relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (R/R MM) is daratumumab, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone. This combination significantly reduces progression or death risk compared to other options, offering a new standard of care.

Area of Science:

  • Hematology
  • Oncology
  • Clinical Trials Research

Background:

  • Multiple myeloma (MM) treatment landscape has evolved significantly since 2000.
  • Novel therapies are available for relapsed and/or refractory multiple myeloma (R/R MM).
  • Direct comparative data for R/R MM treatments are limited, hindering treatment selection.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To synthesize efficacy evidence from phase III randomized controlled trials (RCTs) for R/R MM.
  • To enable a comparative evaluation of all current R/R MM treatment options.
  • To identify the most effective treatment strategy for R/R MM.

Main Methods:

  • Systematic literature review of phase III RCTs for R/R MM.
  • Inclusion of data from Embase, MEDLINE, Cochrane, and ClinicalTrials.gov.
  • Network meta-analysis to synthesize evidence from 17 RCTs encompassing 18 treatment options.

Main Results:

  • The combination of daratumumab, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone demonstrated superior efficacy.
  • This regimen showed a hazard ratio of 0.13 for progression-free survival (95% CI: 0.09–0.19).
  • It reduced the risk of progression or death by up to 87% compared to single-agent dexamethasone.

Conclusions:

  • Network meta-analysis provides a comprehensive efficacy overview for R/R MM treatments.
  • Daratumumab, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone combination is identified as the most favorable treatment.
  • This combination represents a potential new standard of care for R/R MM pending further randomized data.