A Qualitative Study Of Patients' Preferences For The Treatment Of Relapsed Or Refractory Multiple Myeloma (Rrmm) In The United States, United Kingdom, France, And Germany

Context As the treatment landscape for RRMM evolves, it is becoming increasingly important to understand how treatments differ in terms of benefits, risks, and convenience, as these factors may influence patients’ preferences for treatment. Understanding these preferences can aid in shared treatment decision-making between patients and physicians. Objective To understand patients’ experiences with RRMM and their preferences related to treatment. Methods This is the qualitative interview phase of a two-part study designed to better understand the experiences and treatment preferences of patients with RRMM. Interview questions were informed by a literature review that extracted relevant attributes and clinical data of interest. Sixty-minute, semi-structured interviews were conducted with patients in the United States, United Kingdom, France, and Germany. The interview consisted of two main sections, within which patients were asked to select and rank features related to (1) disease and symptoms and (2) treatment experiences and expectations. Results A total of 19 patients participated in this study; 63% (n=12) had used 4 or more prior lines of therapy. Mean age was 56 years (range: 41–75) and 79% (n=15) of patients were female. Sixty-three percent (n=12) of patients were not working, 37% (n=7) due to disability/sick leave; 26% were retired (n=5). Forty-two percent (n=8) of patients were in remission. Disease symptoms often impacted patients’ abilities to perform daily tasks (84% [n=16]), which was also the most bothersome impact of the disease (32% [n=6]). Patients reported increased life expectancy as the most important treatment benefit (79% [n=15]). Frequent side effects after starting treatment included blood-related side effects (89%, [n=17]), fatigue (89% [n=17]), and bone pain (74% [n=14]). The side effects that patients ranked as most important to avoid included fatigue (16% [n=3]), peripheral neuropathy (16%, [n=3]), and blood-related side effects (11% [n=2]). Treatment frequency (79% [n=15]) and mode of administration (74% [n=14]) were also important to patients. Conclusions Patients reported a number of RRMM symptoms and impacts. Patients desired treatment that prolonged overall survival; whilst administration was important, this was often contingent on efficacy and risks. These results will inform a discrete choice experiment to elicit patients’ preferences for RRMM treatments. Funding GlaxoSmithKline (212408).