Salvage autologous transplant in relapsed multiple myeloma: long-term follow-up of the phase 3 GMMG ReLApsE trial

M Marc-Andrea Baertsch (1Heidelberg Myeloma Center, Department of Internal Medicine V, Heidelberg University Hospital, Medical Faculty, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany) J Jana Schlenzka (1Heidelberg Myeloma Center and GMMG Study Group, Department of Medicine V, Heidelberg University Hospital and Medical Faculty Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany) T Thomas Hielscher M Marc S. Raab S Sandra Sauer M Maximilian Merz (11Myeloma Service, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY) E Elias Karl Mai (1Heidelberg Myeloma Center and GMMG Study Group, Department of Medicine V, Heidelberg University Hospital and Medical Faculty Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany) C Carsten Müller-Tidow S Steffen Luntz (15Coordination Centre for Clinical Trials (KKS) Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany) A Anna Jauch P Peter Brossart M Martin Goerner (9Department of Hematology, Oncology and Palliative Care, Community Hospital Bielefeld, Bielefeld, Germany) S Stefan Klein B Bertram Glass (21Department of Hematology and Cell Therapy Helios Klinikum Berlin-Buch, Berlin, Germany) P Peter Reimer (22Evang. Kliniken Essen-Mitte, Clinic for Hematology, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Essen, Germany) U Ullrich Graeven R Roland Fenk (4University Hospital Düsseldorf, Department of Hematology, Oncology and Clinical Immunology, Düsseldorf, Germany) M Mathias Haenel (15Department of Hematology, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Klinikum Chemnitz GmbH, Chemnitz, Germany) I Ivana von Metzler H Hans W. Lindemann (17Department of Hematology and Oncology, Katholisches Krankenhaus Hagen gem. GmbH, Hagen, Germany) C Christof Scheid (12Hospital Barmherzige Brueder Regensburg, Clinic for Oncology and Hematology, Regensburg, Germany) I Igor-Wolfgang Blau (19Internal Medicine III, Charité Campus Benjamin Franklin, Berlin, Germany) H Hans J. Salwender (20Asklepios Tumorzentrum Hamburg, AK Altona and AK St. Georg, Hamburg, Germany) R Richard Noppeney (11Division of Hematology/Oncology, Medizinische Klinik I, Krankenhaus der Barmherzigen Brüder, Trier, Germany) B Britta Besemer (Department of Internal Medicine II, University Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany) K Katja C. Weisel H Hartmut Goldschmidt (Internal Medicine V, Hematology, Oncology and Rheumatology, German-Speaking Myeloma Multicenter Group Study Group, Heidelberg University Hospital and National Center for Tumor Diseases, Heidelberg, Germany)

Abstract

Abstract The multicenter, phase 3 German-Speaking Myeloma Multicenter Group (GMMG) ReLApsE trial randomized patients with relapsed and/or refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) equally to lenalidomide/dexamethasone (LEN/DEX; 25 mg days 1-21, DEX 40 mg weekly, in 4-week cycles) reinduction, salvage high-dose chemotherapy (sHDCT; melphalan 200 mg/m2), autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT), and LEN maintenance (10 mg/d; transplant arm, n = 139) vs continuous LEN/DEX (control arm, n = 138). Ninety-four percent of patients had received frontline HDCT/ASCT. We report an updated analysis of survival end points with a median follow-up of 99 months. Median progression-free survival (PFS) was 20.5 and 19.3 months in the transplant and control arm, respectively (hazard ratio [HR], 0.98; P = .9). Median overall survival (OS) was 67.1 and 62.7 months, respectively, (HR 0.89; P = .44). Landmark analyses from sHDCT and the contemporaneous LEN/DEX cycle 5 were performed because of 29% dropout of patients before sHDCT/ASCT in the transplant arm but did not reveal significant differences in PFS/OS. Time to progression after frontline HDCT/ASCT was a prognostic factor but did not predict benefit from sHDCT/ASCT. The GMMG ReLApsE trial does not support use of sHDCT/ASCT in RRMM after frontline HDCT/ASCT. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrialsregister.eu as #EudraCT2009-013856-61.

Article Details

Journal Blood
Volume / Issue Vol. 145, Issue 16
Published April 17, 2025
Pages 1780-1787
ISSN 0006-4971
Publisher Elsevier BV

Journal Info

Blood

Elsevier BV

ISSN: 0006-4971 Health Sciences

Authors (27)

M

Marc-Andrea Baertsch

1Heidelberg Myeloma Center, Department of Internal Medicine V, Heidelberg University Hospital, Medical Faculty, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany

J

Jana Schlenzka

1Heidelberg Myeloma Center and GMMG Study Group, Department of Medicine V, Heidelberg University Hospital and Medical Faculty Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany

T

Thomas Hielscher

M

Marc S. Raab

S

Sandra Sauer

M

Maximilian Merz

11Myeloma Service, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY

E

Elias Karl Mai

1Heidelberg Myeloma Center and GMMG Study Group, Department of Medicine V, Heidelberg University Hospital and Medical Faculty Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany

C

Carsten Müller-Tidow

S

Steffen Luntz

15Coordination Centre for Clinical Trials (KKS) Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany

A

Anna Jauch

P

Peter Brossart

M

Martin Goerner

9Department of Hematology, Oncology and Palliative Care, Community Hospital Bielefeld, Bielefeld, Germany

S

Stefan Klein

B

Bertram Glass

21Department of Hematology and Cell Therapy Helios Klinikum Berlin-Buch, Berlin, Germany

P

Peter Reimer

22Evang. Kliniken Essen-Mitte, Clinic for Hematology, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Essen, Germany

U

Ullrich Graeven

R

Roland Fenk

4University Hospital Düsseldorf, Department of Hematology, Oncology and Clinical Immunology, Düsseldorf, Germany

M

Mathias Haenel

15Department of Hematology, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Klinikum Chemnitz GmbH, Chemnitz, Germany

I

Ivana von Metzler

H

Hans W. Lindemann

17Department of Hematology and Oncology, Katholisches Krankenhaus Hagen gem. GmbH, Hagen, Germany

C

Christof Scheid

12Hospital Barmherzige Brueder Regensburg, Clinic for Oncology and Hematology, Regensburg, Germany

I

Igor-Wolfgang Blau

19Internal Medicine III, Charité Campus Benjamin Franklin, Berlin, Germany

H

Hans J. Salwender

20Asklepios Tumorzentrum Hamburg, AK Altona and AK St. Georg, Hamburg, Germany

R

Richard Noppeney

11Division of Hematology/Oncology, Medizinische Klinik I, Krankenhaus der Barmherzigen Brüder, Trier, Germany

B

Britta Besemer

Department of Internal Medicine II, University Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany

K

Katja C. Weisel

H

Hartmut Goldschmidt

Internal Medicine V, Hematology, Oncology and Rheumatology, German-Speaking Myeloma Multicenter Group Study Group, Heidelberg University Hospital and National Center for Tumor Diseases, Heidelberg, Germany