The primary purpose of this study is to estimate the overall response rate (ORR), defined as partial response (PR) or better at any time during induction therapy. The success of the therapy will be determined by ORR with strong consideration given to the secondary endpoints of tolerability, duration of response, and quality of life (QOL). All patients will be treated with the same experimental regimen. Several novel features are being explored: the substitution of cyclophosphamide for melphalan; once weekly AND subcutaneous bortezomib instead of standard twice weekly, intravenous dosing; and alternating bortezomib and lenalidomide in maintenance. The investigators hypothesize that this regimen will prove to be tolerable and effective in inducing and maintaining remission in a patient population that is historically very difficult to treat, namely Multiple Myeloma (MM) patients who are too elderly or suffer comorbidities, such as renal insufficiency, that otherwise complicate aggressive therapies like autologous stem-cell transplantation (ASCT). In short, the investigators view this as the "Multiple Myeloma trial for non-trial candidates."
A total of 35 patients will be accrued to this single arm, open label, phase II trial over a period of about 18 months, studying induction chemotherapy with VELCADE, cyclophosphamide and dexamethasone administered on an attenuated dosing schedule to accommodate non-candidates for high-dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell transplantation - an often frail patient population. Maintenance therapy will follow with alternating lenalidomide and VELCADE. All patients should receive antiviral (zoster) prophylaxis, and peptic ulcer prophylaxis is recommended. Aspirin and/or anticoagulation are left to study physician discretion. All patients will be treated with the same experimental regimen. Several novel features are being explored: the substitution of cyclophosphamide for melphalan; once weekly AND subcutaneous bortezomib instead of standard twice weekly, intravenous dosing; and alternating bortezomib and lenalidomide in maintenance. The overarching aim is to preserve efficacy while minimizing toxicity and inconvenience to this often frail patient population.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
17
Bortezomib induction: 1.3 mg/m2, given subcutaneously (SC) on days 1,8 and 15. Up to eight cycles lasting 28 days each will be administered. Patients will not receive any study drugs during the final week of each induction cycle. Bortezomib maintenance (even cycles \[10,12,14, etc.\]: 1.3 mg/m2, given SC on days 1 and 15. For patients who required VELCADE dose reductions during induction, the last administered mg/m2 dose of VELCADE will be the starting dose for maintenance, given on days 1 and 15. Maintenance cycles will last 28 days and continue indefinitely, until disease progression, lack of tolerability, or death. Patients who cannot tolerate SC VELCADE will be converted to the same dose, given intravenously (IV), per discretion of the treating physician.
Cyclophosphamide: 300 mg/m2, given orally on days 1,8 and 15. Up to eight cycles lasting 28 days each will be administered. Patients will not receive any study drugs during the final week of each induction cycle. Patients who cannot swallow cyclophosphamide pills will be converted to the same dose, given intravenously (IV).
Lenalidomide (odd cycles \[9,11,13, etc.\]: 10 mg, given orally on days 1-21. Maintenance cycles will last 28 days and continue indefinitely, until disease progression, lack of tolerability, or death. On even cycles, patients will be prescribed enough lenalidomide to take at home, as instructed, for one cycle. This will be prescribed through the mandatory RevlimidREMS® program. If a dose of lenalidomide is missed, it should be taken as soon as possible on the same day. If it is missed for the entire day, it should not be made up. Patients who take more than the prescribed dose of lenalidomide should be instructed to seek emergency medical care if needed and contact study staff immediately.
Duke University Medical Center
Durham, North Carolina, United States
Overall Response Rate (ORR) During Induction Therapy
Defined as percentage of patients achieving a partial response or better by International Myeloma Working Group (IMWG) standard criteria: IMWG: Complete Response (CR): negative immunofixation on the serum and urine, no soft tissue plasmacytomas and \<5% plasma cells in the bone marrow; stringent CR: CR+normal free light chain ratio, no clonal cells in bone marrow by immunohistochemistry or immunofluorescence; Very Good Partial Response: serum and urine M-protein detected by immunofixation but not electrophoresis, \>90% in serum M-protein+urine, M-protein level \<100 mg/24hour; Partial Response (PR): ≥50% decrease of serum and M-protein, 24 hour urinary M-protein decrease by ≥90% or \<200 mg/24hour.
Time frame: Up to 8 months
Severe Adverse Event Rate
Defined as number of patients experiencing any grade or severe (≥ grade 3 by common toxicity criteria for adverse events (CTCAE) v4.0 criteria) adverse events at any time during the study
Time frame: Up to 3 years
Maximum Depth of Response During Induction Therapy
Maximum depth of response is defined as: ranging from partial response to complete response by International Myeloma Working Group (IMWG). Described as number of patients achieving each level of response. IMWG: CR: negative immunofixation on the serum and urine, no soft tissue plasmacytomas and \<5% plasma cells in the bone marrow; sCR: CR+normal free light chain ratio, no clonal cells in bone marrow by immunohistochemistry or immunofluorescence; VGPR: serum and urine M-protein detected by immunofixation but not electrophoresis, \>90% in serum M-protein+urine, M-protein level \<100 mg/24hour; PR: ≥50% decrease of serum and M-protein, 24 hour urinary M-protein decrease by ≥90% or \<200 mg/24hour. Stable disease mean that the patient has not achieved CR, VGPR, PR or progressive disease.
Time frame: Up to 8 months
Maximum Depth of Response During Maintenance Therapy
Defined as maximum depth of response (ranging from partial response to complete response by International Myeloma Working Group (IMWG) criteria at any point during post-induction maintenance therapy. IMWG: Complete Response (CR): negative immunofixation on the serum and urine, no soft tissue plasmacytomas and \<5% plasma cells in the bone marrow; stringent CR: CR+normal free light chain ratio, no clonal cells in bone marrow by immunohistochemistry or immunofluorescence; Very Good Partial Response: serum and urine M-protein detected by immunofixation but not electrophoresis, \>90% in serum M-protein+urine, M-protein level \<100 mg/24hour; Partial Response (PR): ≥50% decrease of serum and M-protein, 24 hour urinary M-protein decrease by ≥90% or \<200 mg/24hour. Stable disease mean that the patient has not achieved CR, VGPR, PR or progressive disease.
Time frame: Up to 3 years
Median Time to Response
Defined as median time to achievement of response (partial remission or better by International Myeloma Working Group standard criteria), in study subjects during 8 months of induction chemotherapy.
Time frame: Up to 8 months
Median Duration of Response
Defined as median time elapsed in study subjects between achievement of response and disease progression.
Time frame: From date of first confirmed response until date of disease progression or up to 3 years
Median Progression-free Survival
Defined as median time elapsed in study subjects between initiation of study therapy and either disease progression or death, regardless of cause of death.
Time frame: 4 years
Median Overall Survival
Defined as median time elapsed in study subjects between initiation of study therapy and death, regardless of cause.
Time frame: Up to 3 years
QLQ-C30 Question 29
Measured as mean quality of life in study subjects, quantitatively scored using the standardized and validated European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ). Question 29: how would you rate your overall health during the past week? 7 point scores are standardized to a scale of 0-100, where 100 means highest possible quality.
Time frame: baseline, 3 months, 5 months
QLQ-C30 Question 30
Measured as mean quality of life in study subjects, quantitatively scored using the standardized and validated European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ). Question 30: How would you rate your overall quality of life during the past week? 7 point scores are standardized to a scale of 0-100, where 100 means highest possible quality.
Time frame: baseline, 3 months, 5 months
Functionality as Assessed Using the Cancer and Leukemia Group B (CALGB) Geriatric Assessment Tool
Mean functionality in study subjects, quantitatively scored using the standardized and validated Cancer and Leukemia Group B (CALGB) Geriatric Assessment Tool, which comprehensively assesses aspects of a patient's functionality such as symptoms (e.g., pain, anxiety), social support (e.g., someone to turn to for help), and ability to carry out routine activities (e.g., grocery shopping) or physical exertion (e.g., climbing stairs) was assessed at baseline. The score is obtained by inserting patient-specific data into the online calculator found at http://www.mycarg.org/Chemo\_Toxicity\_Calculator, which is based on the risk score described in Hurria A, Togawa K, Mohile SG, et al. Predicting chemotherapy toxicity in older adults with cancer: a prospective multicenter study. J Clin Oncol. 2011;29(25):3457-3465. The risk score ranges from 0-19, with 0-5 indicating low risk, 6-9 intermediate risk, and 10-19 high risk for severe (grade \>2) toxicity.
Time frame: baseline
Risk Score as Assessed Using the Cancer and Leukemia Group B (CALGB) Geriatric Assessment Tool
Calculation of the risk score requires that the patient be assessed with the CALGB Assessment Tool, which has both a patient self-reporting questionnaire and a clinician assessment. Both will be used in this trial, and thus patients will have risk scores based on their own self-assessments and risk scores based on the clinicians' assessment. The risk score ranges from 0-19, with 0-5 indicating low risk, 6-9 intermediate risk, and 10-19 high risk. The distribution of the risk score in this trial will be described by plotting the median of the risk score against time, with patient and clinician assessments overlaid on the same plot.
Time frame: Day 1
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