Top 5 Most-Read Multiple Myeloma Articles of 2023

Our top multiple myeloma (MM) content this year included research suggesting many patients still face poor prognoses, a case study of unique MM presentation, and research presented at the 2022 American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting.

Here are the 5 most-read MM articles of 2023. Check out our MM page for more content.

5. Griffin: Daratumumab Plus RVd Improved Responses for Older and Some High-Risk Patients Compared With Triplet Alone in Newly Diagnosed MM

In a post hoc analysis of the phase 2 GRIFFIN study, key subgroups of patients with newly diagnosed, transplant-eligible MM who were treated with daratumumab plus standard triplet therapy (lenalidomide, bortezomib, and dexamethasone [RVd]) had improved responses compared with similar patients receiving only the triplet. GRIFFIN met its primary end point at a median of 13.5 months, with a higher percentage of patients taking daratumumab plus RVd experiencing stringent complete responses compared with those taking RVd alone after ASCT consolidation therapy. The findings were presented at ASH 2022.

Read the full article here.

4. Despite Therapeutic Developments in MM, Refractory Patients Face Poor Prognosis: Study

The treatment landscape for MM has evolved quickly in recent years, with new therapies emerging to treat the disease. However, a study found that patients with MM still faced a poor prognosis after relapse to multiple lines of therapy and triple-class exposure. Patients also showed worsening survival outcomes, according to the study.

Read the full article here.

3. Patient Enablement Linked With Lower Likelihood of Seeking Help for Potential Blood Cancer Symptoms

A study published in Psycho-Oncology showed that patient enablement, defined as “the patient's ability to understand and cope with illness and life after a consultation with a doctor,” was associated with a lower likelihood of seeking help for potential blood cancer symptoms. The survey-based study also found that enablement may increase the likelihood of reconsulting when symptoms persist, get worse, or need to be assessed further. Researchers suggested future prospective studies explore whether there is a causal relationship between patient enablement and seeking help.

Read the full article here.

2. Unique Multiple Myeloma Presentation Highlighted in New Case Study

A case study published in Cureus reported a dramatic presentation of acute MM in a patient with acute kidney failure. The patient initially presented with altered mentation accompanied by an anion gap metabolic acidosis with an elevated osmolar gap, with the case showing there are a selection of factors potentially impacting the anion and osmolar gaps. The authors noted the case, “shows that the traditionally held dogma about the meaning of anion or osmolar gaps may cloud an otherwise more obscure etiology.”

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1. Population-Based Study Finds Increased Risk of Stroke, Heart Attack in Patients With MM

A real-world study of patients with MM in the United States found that heart attack and stroke risks are significantly higher in this patient population compared with the general population. The retrospective study, presented at the 2022 ASH Annual Meeting, aimed to fill a gap in real-world research examining the association between MM and arterial thrombosis and was the largest real-world assessment of arterial thrombotic events among patients with MM in the United States, to the authors’ knowledge.

Read the full article here.