FACULTY COMMENTS
DR LONIAL: This trial evaluated VTD as consolidation therapy after
an autologous transplant. They showed nicely that they were able to
achieve molecular complete remissions (CRs) in about a quarter of
the patients, which is something that has not been studied before.
It’s a small study with encouraging data. In and of itself, however, I
believe it’s food for thought more than anything else.
Personally, the way I’m starting to think about novel agents versus transplant is that a transplant can only take you so low in terms of minimal residual disease. I believe the new drugs can probably help you achieve a lower level of minimal residual disease. This trial certainly proves that point because melphalan alone wasn’t enough to get most of these patients to a molecular CR. They required VTD.
My questions are, did they even need the transplant? Could you do this with bortezomib and thalidomide or bortezomib and lenalidomide as induction?
| Table of Contents | Top of Page |
