Clinical Outcomes and Serum B-Cell Maturation Antigen Levels in a Real-World Unselected Population of Newly Diagnosed Multiple Myeloma Patients

Background Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) of newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (MM) patients have been widely published in the clinical trials setting, but data published from real-world settings are limited. Objective We determined the survival and factors that predict outcomes among 161 unselected, newly diagnosed MM patients whose frontline therapy was started at a single clinic specializing in the treatment of this B-cell malignancy. Patients and Methods None of these patients underwent an autologous stem cell transplantation as part of their initial therapy and the population had a high proportion (35%) of cytogenetic high-risk patients. Results With a median follow-up of 42.7 months, the cohort had a median PFS of 22.8 months and a median OS of 136.2 months. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates were 97.5%, 85.3%, and 76.2%, respectively. These results are considerably better than those reported from patients enrolled in clinical trials and those from countries with national registries. Age <65 years predicted for a longer OS ( p = 0.0004). Baseline serum B-cell maturation antigen (sBCMA) levels were also assessed and showed median and mean levels of 320.3 ng/mL and 551.1 ng/mL, respectively. Furthermore, patients with baseline sBCMA levels in the lowest quartile (≤136.2 ng/mL) showed a longer PFS ( p = 0.0262). Conclusion These results provide clinicians with a real-world understanding of the survival of unselected, newly diagnosed patients initiating therapy in a clinic specializing in the care of MM patients.