A combination regimen of bortezomib, cyclophosphamide and betamethasone gives quicker, better and more durable response than VAD/CyBet regimens: results from a Swedish retrospective analysis.

BACKGROUND Induction therapy for multiple myeloma (MM) and remission status before high-dose treatment (HDT) have been shown to be prognostic factors for survival outcome, although the optimal induction therapy is yet to be defined. METHODS We conducted a retrospective analysis of the impact of induction therapy on survival outcome before and after HDT in MM patients. The study included 236 consecutive patients who underwent HDT. RESULTS One hundred and forty-two patients (62%) were treated with vincristine, doxorubicin and dexamethasone (VAD) or cyclophosphamide and betamethasone (CyBet) and 94 (38%) were treated with bortezomib, cyclophosphamide and betamethasone (VCB) as induction. Time to first and time to best response was faster in the VCB group than in the VAD/CyBet group, with 42 versus 75 (p < 0.001) and 54 versus 88 days (p < 0.001), respectively. After induction therapy, 49% of the patients in the VCB group and 38% in the VAD/CyBet group achieved a very good partial response or better. Multivariate analysis revealed younger age, lower International Staging System stage and induction treatment with VCB as variables associated with favourable time to progression. CONCLUSIONS Outcome measured as response and time to progression before and after HDT in MM differs depending on type of induction treatment and suggests that VCB is a highly effective induction regimen that confers a post-HDT advantage.