International Myeloma Foundation shared on LinkedIn:
“Could some people with myeloma stop maintenance after two years? New study results say yes.
For many people with multiple myeloma, treatment continues long after the first round of therapy ends. This is called maintenance therapy. It uses medicine to help keep myeloma under control.
Lenalidomide, also known as Revlimid, is a common maintenance treatment. The current standard is often to keep taking it until the myeloma gets worse or side effects become too hard to manage.
New results from the phase 3 ENDURANCE study may change that approach for some people with standard-risk multiple myeloma. Standard-risk means the myeloma does not have certain genetic changes linked to faster disease progression and poorer outcomes.
The study included 516 people who did not receive a stem cell transplant as their first treatment. One group took lenalidomide for two years. The other group continued taking it until their myeloma got worse.
After nearly seven years, survival was almost identical between the two groups. However, people who stayed on lenalidomide longer had more side effects than those who stopped after two years.
Why this matters.
This is encouraging news for people with standard-risk myeloma who did not have an upfront stem cell transplant.
A set treatment period may mean fewer side effects, lower treatment costs, and more time away from ongoing care. The study found that stopping lenalidomide after two years did not reduce long-term survival in this group.
These results do not apply to every person with myeloma. Treatment length may depend on your risk level, response, health, and earlier care. Talk with your myeloma care team before making any change to maintenance treatment.
How the IMF is involved.
Several International Myeloma Foundation leaders helped lead and write the ENDURANCE study.
They include Dr. Shaji Kumar, a member of the IMF Scientific Advisory Board, Dr. S. Vincent Rajkumar, Chairperson of the IMF Board of Directors, and Dr. Sagar Lonial, Vice Chairperson of the IMF Board of Directors.
Their work helps answer a question patients and doctors have asked for years: How long does someone need to stay on maintenance treatment?
At the International Myeloma Foundation, we are committed to helping people living with myeloma and their families understand new research and what it may mean for care decisions. Call us. We’re here for you.
The IMF InfoLine is available at 1-818-487-7455 or infoline@myeloma.org.”
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