Dr Baz on AE Management Discussions in Multiple Myeloma

Rachid Baz, MD, section head, Myeloma, Department of Malignant Hematology, Moffitt Cancer Center; co-director, Pentecost Family Myeloma Research Center, discusses the importance of educating patients with multiple myeloma about potential adverse effects (AEs) they may experience during treatment and highlights potential future directions for research and treatment in this disease.

When discussing treatment options with patients with multiple myeloma, oncologists should consider both the short-term and long-term AEs that patients may experience, and educate patients about each of these anticipated toxicities, Baz says. If patients and their care teams are better prepared to anticipate, recognize, and manage treatment-related toxicities, the management of their disease will be improved, Baz emphasizes.

The multiple myeloma treatment paradigm is at a point of potential expansion, Baz notes. Several novel therapies have become standard treatment options for patients with relapsed/refractory disease, Baz explains. For instance, the CAR T-cell therapy idecabtagene vicleucel (Abecma) was FDA approved in 2021 for patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma who have received at least 4 prior lines of therapy, including an immunomodulatory agent, a proteasome inhibitor, and an anti-CD38 antibody. Ciltacabtagene autoleucel (Carvykti), another CAR T-cell therapy, was FDA approved for this indication in 2022. Bispecific antibodies have also entered the scene for patients with this disease. Teclistamab-cqyv (Tecvayli) received FDA approval in 2022 for patients with disease that is relapsed/refractory to 4 or more prior lines of therapy. Additionally, elranatamab-bcmm (Elrexfio) and talquetamab-tgvs (Talvey) were both FDA approved in August 2023 for this indication.

Between CAR T-cell therapies and bispecific antibodies, oncologists need to better define treatment sequencing and decision-making strategies so patients can experience the best outcomes from each of these therapies, according to Baz. Over the next few years, further research may elucidate the optimal use of therapies already in use today for patients with multiple myeloma, Baz concludes.