Short-course bortezomib-based retreatment for patients with multiple myeloma who had received bortezomib-thalidomide-dexamethasone (VTD) as an initial therapy: A single-center case series

Studies have shown that the bortezomib-based retreatment of patients with multiple myeloma (MM) may prolong control of the disease. The optimal duration of bortezomib-based retreatment in relapsed or refractory MM is unknown. The present retrospective study evaluated the efficacy and safety of short-course bortezomib-based retreatment in patients who had received bortezomib-thalidomide-dexamethasone (VTD) treatment for the initial therapy of newly diagnosed MM. The clinical records of 20 patients who had received short-course bortezomib-based retreatment in a single center were reviewed. Patients received a median of two cycles of bortezomib as the retreatment and the overall response rate was 90%. Six (30%), eight (40%) and four (20%) patients achieved a complete response (CR), a very good partial response and a partial response, respectively. Of the 10 patients who had achieved a CR during the initial VTD treatment, six experienced a repeat CR during the retreatment. The median duration of the response was nine months and the median time to progression was 10.5 months. The most common grade I and II adverse events were thrombocytopenia and neutropenia. The short-course bortezomib-based retreatment was well tolerated and the favorable response rates observed suggest that it may be an effective and convenient treatment option for certain patients, particularly elderly patients.