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Assessing response rates in clinical trials of treatment for relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma: a study of bortezomib and thalidomide by H Prince, Brad Schenkel and Linda Mileshkin

Leukemia volume 21, page 821 (2007)Cite this article

We very much appreciate the endorsement of the International Uniform Response Criteria1 expressed by Prince et al.2 Their study documents the type of concerns based on which these new criteria were developed collaboratively by investigators from around the world, representing several major myeloma groups. Incorporation of the uniform response criteria in all future myeloma trials will eliminate the serious problem that Prince and co-workers document of markedly different response rates seen in a given trial depending on which of the many existing myeloma-specific response criteria were used to analyze the results.

The rigorous end point of stringent complete response (sCR) in addition to complete response (CR) and very good partial response (VGPR) in the new criteria are particularly important and useful to compare outcomes with novel therapy. We agree that higher levels of response can translate into longer time for progression and improved overall survival. Therefore, precise documentation of higher levels of response (i.e., depth of response) is especially important to allow early detection of potential longer-term benefit.

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References

  1. Durie BGM, Harousseau J-L, Miguel JS, Blade J, Barlogie B, Anderson K et al. International uniform response criteria for multiple myeloma. Leukemia 2006; 20: 1467–1473.

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  2. Prince H, Schenkel B, Mileshkin L . Assessing response rates in clinical trials of treatment for relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma: a study of bortezomib and thalidomide. Leukemia.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Aptium Oncology Inc., Cedars-Sinai Outpatient Cancer Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    B G M Durie

  2. Division of Hematology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA

    S V Rajkumar

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  1. B G M Durie
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  2. S V Rajkumar
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Correspondence to S V Rajkumar.

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Durie, B., Rajkumar, S. Assessing response rates in clinical trials of treatment for relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma: a study of bortezomib and thalidomide by H Prince, Brad Schenkel and Linda Mileshkin. Leukemia 21, 821 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.leu.2404574

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