A review of second primary malignancy in patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma treated with lenalidomide

Blood. 2012 Mar 22;119(12):2764-7. doi: 10.1182/blood-2011-08-373514. Epub 2012 Feb 9.

Abstract

In a retrospective pooled analysis of 11 clinical trials of lenalidomide-based therapy for relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (MM; N = 3846), the overall incidence rate (IR, events per 100 patient-years) of second primary malignancies (SPMs) was 3.62. IR of invasive (hematologic and solid tumor) SPMs was 2.08, consistent with the background incidence of developing cancer. In a separate analysis of pooled data from pivotal phase 3 trials of relapsed or refractory MM (N = 703), the overall IR of SPMs was 3.98 (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.51-6.31) with lenalidomide/dexamethasone and 1.38 (95% CI, 0.44-4.27) with placebo/dexamethasone; IRs of nonmelanoma skin cancers were 2.40 (95% CI, 1.33-4.33) and 0.91 (95% CI, 0.23-3.66), respectively; IRs of invasive SPMs were 1.71 (95% CI, 0.86-3.43) and 0.91 (95% CI, 0.23-3.66), respectively. The risk of SPMs must be taken into account before initiating lenalidomide treatment. In the context of the observed survival benefit in relapsed or refractory MM patients, the benefit/risk profile of lenalidomide/dexamethasone remains positive.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Antineoplastic Agents / adverse effects*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Kaplan-Meier Estimate
  • Lenalidomide
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Multiple Myeloma / drug therapy*
  • Multiple Myeloma / mortality
  • Neoplasms, Second Primary / epidemiology*
  • Risk Assessment
  • Thalidomide / adverse effects
  • Thalidomide / analogs & derivatives*

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Thalidomide
  • Lenalidomide