Receiving four or fewer cycles of therapy predicts poor survival in newly diagnosed transplant-ineligible patients with myeloma who are treated with bortezomib-based induction

Abstract

We read with interest the study from Rampotas et al (1) where they evaluated 158 transplant-non-eligible newly diagnosed myeloma patients treated with bortezomib (Velcade), cyclophosphamide and dexamethasone (VCD) chemotherapy. They showed that fixed duration VCD led to an overall response rate (ORR) of 72% and was 'reasonably well tolerated'. They concluded that the comparatively poor event free survival (EFS) may be improved "with the use of higher cumulative bortezomib" doses.