European Myeloma Network Consensus Statement on Functional High‐Risk Multiple Myeloma
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Multiple myeloma (MM) is an incurable blood cancer characterized by clonal bone marrow plasmacytosis, hypercalcemia, renal failure, anemia, and osteolytic bone disease. Approximately 20% of NDMM patients, not predicted to have high-risk disease at diagnosis, progress early, despite optimal induction +/- ASCT and lenalidomide maintenance, and are subsequently categorized as functional high-risk (FHR) disease. Standardized risk-stratification models incorporate biomarkers of tumor burden, existence of high-risk cytogenetics, with the presence/absence of plasma cell leukemia/extramedullary disease to attribute high-risk at diagnosis; however, depth/duration of response to novel agent-based induction (NA-IND) as dynamic markers of disease risk have not been defined. However, irrespective of diagnostic risk-stratification, response to NA-IND may be the single most effective method of identifying patients whose FHR biology portends an unacceptably short overall survival (OS). In this EMN consensus statement, we define FHR-MM as disease progression within 18 months of commencement of first-line therapy in the absence of high-risk cytogenetics, discuss the underlying disease biology, and strategies to improve outcomes for these patients.
Source: American Journal of Hematology
DOI: 10.1002/ajh.70070
Institutions: The Alfred Hospital, Alfred Health, Monash University, University of Freiburg, University Medical Center Freiburg, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Alexandra Hospital, Azienda Ospedaliera Citta' della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Amsterdam UMC Location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Universitätsklinikum Würzburg, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Institute of Cancer Research
Language: English
Subfield: Hematology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W4414084328