Description
Improving outcomes in multiple myeloma will not only involve development of new therapies, but better use of existing treatments. We performed RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) on samples from newly diagnosed patients enrolled into the phase II PADIMAC study. Using an empirical Bayes approach and synthetic annealing, we developed and trained a seven-gene signature to predict treatment outcome. We tested the signature on independent cohorts treated with bortezomib- and lenalidomide-based therapies. The signature was capable of distinguishing which patients would respond better to which regimen. In the CoMMpass dataset, patients who were treated correctly according to the signature had a better progression-free and overall survival than those who were not. Indeed, the outcome for these correctly treated patients was non-inferior to those treated with combined bortezomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone (VRD). PADIMAC: Bortezomib, Adriamycin and Dexamethasone (PAD) therapy for previously untreated patients with multiple myeloma: Impact of minimal residual disease (MRD) in patients with deferred ASCT (autologous stem cell transplant) Overall design: RNA-Seq data from 44 patients enrolled into the PADIMAC study who provided RNA with an RNA Integrity score of 6 or greater. Thirteen out of forty-four patients had at least a very good partial remission sustained for at least a year without progression and were labelled as "bortezomib-good".