Autologous stem cell transplantation improves quality of life in economically challenged, Brazilian multiple myeloma patients

OBJECTIVES: 1) To characterize the impact of multiple myeloma on the quality of life of patients treated in two public institutions in São Paulo State, Brazil, using a generic Short Form 36 Health Survey and a questionnaire specific for oncologic patients (QLQ-C30) upon diagnosis, after the clinical treatment, and at day +100 after autologous stem cell transplantation; 2) to evaluate whether autologous stem cell transplantation can improve the quality of life of our economically challenged population aside from providing a clinical benefit and disease control. METHODS: We evaluated 49 patients with multiple myeloma (a total of 70 interviews) using the two questionnaires. The scores upon diagnosis, post-treatment/pre-autologous stem cell transplantation, and at D+100 were compared using ANOVA (a comparison of the three groups), post hoc tests (two-by-two comparisons of the three groups), and paired t-tests (the same case at two different times). RESULTS: Of the included patients, 87.8% had a family budget under US $600 (economic class C, D, or E) per month. The generic Short Form 36 Health Survey questionnaire demonstrated that physical function, role-physical, and bodily pain indices were statistically different across all three groups, favoring the D+100 autologous stem cell transplantation group (ANOVA). The questionnaire specific for oncologic patients, the QLQ-C30 questionnaire, confirmed what had been demonstrated by the Short Form 36 Health Survey with respect to physical function and bodily pain, with improvements in role functioning, fatigue, and lack of appetite and constipation, favoring the D+100 autologous stem cell transplant group (ANOVA). The post hoc tests and paired t-tests confirmed a better outcome after autologous stem cell transplantation CONCLUSION: The questionnaire specific for cancer patients seems to be more informative than the generic Short Form 36 Health Survey questionnaire and reflects the real benefit of autologous stem cell transplantation in the quality of life of multiple myeloma patients in two public Brazilian institutions that provide assistance for economically challenged patients.Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP)Santa Casa de Misericórdia de São Paulo Faculdade de Ciências MédicasUniversidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Departamento de MedicinaCedars-Sinai Outpatient Cancer CenterUNIFESP, Depto. de MedicinaSciEL

Confirmation of the utility of the International Staging System and identification of a unique pattern of disease in Brazilian patients with multiple myeloma

Santa Casa São Paulo, São Paulo, BrazilUniv Fed Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, BrazilUniv São Paulo, São Paulo, BrazilHEMOPE, Recife, PE, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, BrazilUniv Fed Bahia, BR-41170290 Salvador, BA, BrazilHosp Brigadeiro São Paulo, São Paulo, BrazilUniv Fed Rio Grande do Sul, BR-90046900 Porto Alegre, RS, BrazilSch Med, Ribeirao Preto, BrazilUniv Fed Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, BrazilUniv Fed Parana, BR-80060000 Curitiba, Parana, BrazilUniv Estadual Campinas, BR-13081970 Campinas, SP, BrazilInst Nacl Canc Rio Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, BrazilCanc Res & Biostat, Seattle, WA USACedars Sinai Outpatient Canc Ctr, Aptium Oncol Inc, Los Angeles, CA USAUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc

Serum free light chain assays not total light chain assays are the standard of care to assess Monoclonal Gammopathies

Abstract The diagnosis of Multiple Myeloma is a challenge to the physician due to the non-specific symptoms (anemia, bone pain and recurrent infections) that are commonplace in the elderly population. However, early diagnosis is associated with less severe disease, including fewer patients presenting with acute renal injury, pathological fractures and severe anemia. Since 2006, the serum free light chain test Freelite® has been included alongside standard laboratory tests (serum and urine protein electrophoresis, and serum and urine immunofixation) as an aid in the identification of monoclonal proteins, which are a cornerstone for the diagnosis of Multiple Myeloma. The serum free light chain assay recognizes the light chain component of the immunoglobulin in its free form with high sensitivity. Other assays that measure light chains in the free and intact immunoglobulin forms are sensitive, but unfortunately, due to the nomenclature used, these assays (total light chains) are sometimes used in place of the free light chain assay. This paper reviews the available literature comparing the two assays and tries to clarify hypothetical limitations of the total assay to detect Multiple Myeloma. Furthermore, we elaborate on our study comparing the two assays used in 11 Light Chain Multiple Myeloma patients at presentation and 103 patients taken through the course of their disease. The aim of this article is to provide a clear discrimination between the two assays and to provide information to physicians and laboratory technicians so that they can utilize the International Myeloma Working Group guidelines

Impact of the lactate dehydrogenase in association with the International Staging System prognostic score in multiple myeloma patients treated in real life

Introduction: Multiple myeloma is characterized by proliferation of clonal plasma cells. The identification of prognostics factors to identify patient's risk is important. Among the studied factors, it was identified of relevant importance the lactic dehydrogenase. Objectives: To evaluate the impact of the value of DHL in combination with the score ISS in the medium patients overall survival (OS). Methods: It is a retrospective cohort with 252 patients with MM recently-diagnosed that attendance in the institution of the study. Results: To evaluate the association between DHL and ISS, we found 6 new groups to be analyzed: ISS I and normal DHL with medium overall survival not reached, and with DHL loud with medium OS of 69,8 months, ISS II and normal DHL with medium overall survival of 78,8 months and with DHL loud with medium OS of 73,9 months, ISS III and normal DHL with medium overall survival of 46,7 months and with DHL loud with medium OS of 45,5 months. Conclusion: Through the association of ISS I and normal DHL, ISS III and high DHL and others combinations, we build a new score with superior impact prognostic in our population treated in real life

A importância da citometria de fluxo no diagnóstico raro de mieloma mielomonocítico

O mieloma múltiplo consiste na proliferação de células plasmáticas. Raramente apresenta, ao diagnóstico, morfologia de células imaturas com citoplasma amplo basofílico, sugerindo quadro leucêmico inicial. O objetivo deste artigo é mostrar a importância da imunofenotipagem na elucidação destes achados morfológicos pela expressão simultânea de antígenos plasmocíticos, mielomonocíticos e de linhagem linfóide T, confirmando a hipótese diagnóstica de mieloma mielomonocítico. Apresentamos dois casos de mieloma mielomonocítico através de análise morfológica (coloração pancromática de Romanovsky), citoquímica (PAS, peroxidase, sudan black, alfanaftil acetato esterase e oil red), citogenética e imunofenotipagem por citometria de fluxo em sangue periférico e medula óssea, de acordo com as técnicas recomendadas. Foram utilizados os anticorpos monoclonais: CD2, CD3, CD4, CD5, CD7, CD10, CD13, CD15, CD19, CD20, CD25, CD33, CD34, CD38, CD45, CD56, CD71, HLA-DR, TCR alfa/beta, TCR gama/delta, kappa, lambda, IgM e IgD de superfície e intracitoplasmática, assim como MPO, CD79a e CD3 intracitoplasmático. Utilizamos as técnicas de banda G e FISH nas análises citogenéticas. Foram observadas alterações clonais em ambos os casos, sendo uma com trissomia do cromossomo 8 e outro caso com deleção do braço longo do cromossomo 7 e do braço curto do cromossomo 6. Os percentuais de positividade encontrados nos anticorpos monoclonais CD4, CD7, CD10, CD13, CD14, CD15, CD33, CD38 e CD56 de forte expressão, HLA-DR, TCR gama/delta, MPO e IgM intracitoplasmático no histograma de volume x complexidade e no histograma de CD45 x complexidade permitiram concluir este diagnóstico em ambos os casos, demonstrando a importância do método

New proteasome inhibitors in the treatment of multiple myeloma

The treatment of patients with relapsed and/or refractory multiple myeloma has improved considerably in the last 15 years, after the introduction of proteasome inhibitors and immunomodulatory drugs. The first clinical trials with new proteasome inhibitors have produced exciting results, particularly those comparing triplet regimens with standard doublet regimens, with a gain in progression-free survival accompanied by an acceptable safety profile and either similar or better health-related quality of life. New proteasome inhibitors hold the potential to fill unmet needs in multiple myeloma management regarding improvement of clinical outcomes, including delayed progression of disease in high-risk patients. This review summarizes the main pharmacological properties and clinical outcomes of these agents, and discusses their potential to change the whole multiple myeloma therapeutic landscape. Keywords: Multiple myeloma, Proteasome inhibitors, Bortezomib, Ixazomib, Carfilzomi