# Effect of Pomalidomide-based regimen on the treatment of patients with first-relapsed multiple myeloma and analysis of prognostic factors

## TL;DR

This study shows that a treatment regimen including pomalidomide improves survival and response rates in patients with relapsed multiple myeloma.

## Contribution

The study identifies pomalidomide as a protective factor and highlights specific risk factors for prognosis in first-relapsed multiple myeloma patients.

## Key findings

- The pomalidomide-based regimen improved progression-free survival and overall response rates compared to the control group.
- Extramedullary plasmacytoma, risk stratification, and elevated LDH are independent risk factors for shorter progression-free survival.
- Pomalidomide use is associated with better outcomes in first-relapsed multiple myeloma patients.

## Abstract

To explore the effect and safety of pomalidomide (POM)-based regimen on the treatment of patients with first-relapsed multiple myeloma (MM), and to analyze the factors affecting prognosis.

This was retrospective study. Thirty-eight patients with first-relapsed MM admitted to Hematology Department of Beijing Shunyi Hospital from January 2020 to June 2023 were included and divided into observation group (n=20) and control group (n=18) according to treatment regimens. Record the time of progressive disease (PD), death, adverse reactions, analyze the progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS).

The overall response rate of the observation group was 85.00%, was higher than that of 55.56% in the control group (c2=3.993, P=0.046). Seventeen cases and all cases had PD in the observation and the control groups. Two patients in each group died. The OS analysis was not performed as the censoring rate in both groups exceeded 70%. The median PFS of the observation group was 9.118 months, was higher than 4.750 months of the control group (P<0.01). Influential factors of PFS were therapeutic regimen-based grouping, risk stratification, LDH>240 U/L, and the presence of extramedullary plasmacytoma or not (all P<0.05). The use of POM was protective factor for PFS, extramedullary plasmacytoma, risk stratification, and LDH>240 U/L were independent risk factors.

POM-based regimen can significantly improve the PFS and overall response rate in patients with first-relapsed MM. The use of POM is a protective factor, extramedullary plasmacytoma, risk stratification, and LDH>240 U/L are independent risk factors for PFS.