Tumor burden quantified by soluble B-cell maturation antigen and metabolic tumor volume determines myeloma CAR-T outcomes

C Ciara L. Freeman (7Department of Blood and Marrow Transplant and Cellular Immunotherapy, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL) J Jerald Noble (1H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, United States) M Meghan Menges (1H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, Hematology and Oncology, Tampa, United States) R Ricardo Villanueva (3Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL) J Justyn Y. Nakashima (4Department of Radiation Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL) N Nicholas B. Figura (4Department of Radiation Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL) R Rolf Petter Tonseth (5Molecular Imaging and Therapy Program, BC Cancer, Vancouver, BC, Canada) D Dietrich Werner Idiaquez (4Department of Pathology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL) L Lawrence Skelson (1Department of Blood and Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Immunotherapy, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL) E Eric Smith J Julieta Abraham-Miranda (H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida, United States) S Salvatore Corallo G Gabriel De Avila (H Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida, United States) O Omar A. Castaneda Puglianini (1Department of Blood and Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Immunotherapy, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL) H Hien Liu (1H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, United States) M Melissa Alsina (H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, United States) T Taiga Nishihori (Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida, United States) K Kenneth H. Shain R Rachid Baz (1Department of Malignant Hematology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL) B Brandon Blue (Naval Research Enterprise Internship Program Student Residing in the Electronics Sciences and Technology Division, United States Naval Research Laboratory) A Ariel Grajales-Cruz (1H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, United States) J John M. Koomen (8Department of Molecular Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL) R Reginald M. Atkins (2Department of Clinical Science, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL) D Doris K. Hansen (1Department of Blood and Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Immunotherapy, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL) A Ariosto S. Silva J Jongphil Kim (6Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL) Y Yoganand Balagurunathan (1Moffitt Cancer Center, Department of Blood and Marrow Transplant and Cellular Immunotherapy, Tampa, United States) F Frederick L. Locke

Abstract

Abstract Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy has emerged as a breakthrough treatment for relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM). However, these products are complex to deliver, and alternative options are now available. Identifying biomarkers that can predict therapeutic outcomes is crucial for optimizing patient selection. There is a paucity of data evaluating the utility of both serum soluble B-cell maturation antigen (sBCMA) levels and metabolic tumor volume (MTV) at baseline in patients with RRMM undergoing CAR-T therapy. We identified a cohort of 183 patients with available serum to measure sBCMA and/or pretreatment MTV, derived from positron emission tomography–computed tomography scans obtained per standard of care. Expectedly, high pretreatment levels of sBCMA correlated with other established markers of tumor burden (eg, bone marrow plasma cells and β2 microglobulin) and inflammation and were highly prognostic for CAR-T–related toxicities and inferior progression-free survival (PFS). High MTV values were also associated with shorter PFS and inferior overall survival. The poor correlation observed between these 2 measures prompted evaluation of those with discordant results, identifying that those with low sBCMA and high MTV frequently had low/absent BCMA expression on plasma cells and suboptimal response. Our findings highlight the potential utility of sBCMA and MTV to facilitate more personalized treatment strategies in the management of RRMM eligible for BCMA-directed CAR-T.

Article Details

Journal Blood
Volume / Issue Vol. 145, Issue 15
Published April 10, 2025
Pages 1645-1657
ISSN 0006-4971
Publisher Elsevier BV

Journal Info

Blood

Elsevier BV

ISSN: 0006-4971 Health Sciences

Authors (28)

C

Ciara L. Freeman

7Department of Blood and Marrow Transplant and Cellular Immunotherapy, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL

J

Jerald Noble

1H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, United States

M

Meghan Menges

1H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, Hematology and Oncology, Tampa, United States

R

Ricardo Villanueva

3Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL

J

Justyn Y. Nakashima

4Department of Radiation Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL

N

Nicholas B. Figura

4Department of Radiation Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL

R

Rolf Petter Tonseth

5Molecular Imaging and Therapy Program, BC Cancer, Vancouver, BC, Canada

D

Dietrich Werner Idiaquez

4Department of Pathology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL

L

Lawrence Skelson

1Department of Blood and Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Immunotherapy, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL

E

Eric Smith

J

Julieta Abraham-Miranda

H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida, United States

S

Salvatore Corallo

G

Gabriel De Avila

H Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida, United States

O

Omar A. Castaneda Puglianini

1Department of Blood and Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Immunotherapy, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL

H

Hien Liu

1H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, United States

M

Melissa Alsina

H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida, United States

T

Taiga Nishihori

Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida, United States

K

Kenneth H. Shain

R

Rachid Baz

1Department of Malignant Hematology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL

B

Brandon Blue

Naval Research Enterprise Internship Program Student Residing in the Electronics Sciences and Technology Division, United States Naval Research Laboratory

A

Ariel Grajales-Cruz

1H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, United States

J

John M. Koomen

8Department of Molecular Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL

R

Reginald M. Atkins

2Department of Clinical Science, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL

D

Doris K. Hansen

1Department of Blood and Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Immunotherapy, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL

A

Ariosto S. Silva

J

Jongphil Kim

6Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL

Y

Yoganand Balagurunathan

1Moffitt Cancer Center, Department of Blood and Marrow Transplant and Cellular Immunotherapy, Tampa, United States

F

Frederick L. Locke