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. 2021 Aug 31;7(4):220-226.
doi: 10.1016/j.cdtm.2021.08.003. eCollection 2021 Dec.

Major advances in the treatment of multiple myeloma in American Society of Hematology annual meeting 2020

Jianhua Du  1 , Junling Zhuang  2
Affiliations

Major advances in the treatment of multiple myeloma in American Society of Hematology annual meeting 2020

Jianhua Du et al. Chronic Dis Transl Med. .

Abstract

Treatment of multiple myeloma (MM) has advanced dramatically in the past two decades. However, under the conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic, treatment strategies have been modified accordingly. Numerous novel agents, updated trials, and major advances in myeloma have been reported in the American Society of Hematology 2020 annual meeting, either for transplant-eligible or ineligible patients. Hot topics such as the significance of autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT), development of novel agents, and chimeric antigen receptor-T (CAR-T) cells have been widely discussed. The triplet regimen bortezomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone (VRd) is recommended as the standard first-line treatment, and the addition of a fourth drug improves efficacy and survival. The value of ASCT remains undoubtful, even in the era of quadruplet induction. Dual-drug maintenance, including proteasome inhibitors and immunomodulatory drugs, overcomes unfavorable outcomes in high-risk patients. For relapsed/refractory myeloma (RRMM) patients, novel agents such as selinexor and venetoclax are superior. CAR-T cells and other cell-surface-targeted therapies also appear promising.

Keywords: Autologous stem cell transplantation; Chimeric antigen receptor-T; Monoclonal antibody; Multiple myeloma; Novel agents.

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Conflict of interest statement

None.

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