Intensive Versus Double Intensive Therapy In Untreated Multiple Myeloma: Final Analysis Of The Hovon 24 Trial.

The benefit of high-dose therapy for multiple myeloma has been demonstrated in phase lI/lII studies. HOVON started a randomized multicenter trial to compare the efficacy of intensified treatment followed by myelo-ablative therapy with intensified treatment alone in newly diagnosed patients. We now report the results of the final analysis in 441 eligible patients with stage II (22%) and stage III (78%) disease. The median age was 55 years (range 31–65 ). Remission induction consisted of 3–4 cycles of VAD. 63 patients who had an HLA identical sibling were candidates for an allogeneic transplantation. After VAD, patients were randomized to receive melphalan 140 mg/m2 divided in 2 doses of 70 mg/m2 (IDM) without stem cell rescue (arm A) or the same regimen followed by myelo-ablative treatment with cyclophosphamide (120 mg/kg) and TBI with stem cell transplantation (ASCT, arm B). Peripheral stem cells were mobilized by cyclophosphamide (4 g/m2) and G-CSF after VAD. Interferon-a -2a was given as maintenance therapy in both arms.