Objectives Bortezomib vial-sharing is commonly employed to maximize the treatment of patients with multiple myeloma (MM) in resource-limited setting. This strategy minimizes delays in treatment but reduces the dose of bortezomib received by the patient. Herein, we aimed to determine the treatment patterns and outcomes in Filipino patients with MM who received reduced-dose bortezomib.

Methods The records of 47 adult patients with MM, seen at our institution from 2016 to 2019 and treated with reduced-dose bortezomib, were retrospectively reviewed.

Results The median age of the patients at diagnosis was 55 years; 59.6% were male. VCD (bortezomib, cyclophosphamide, dexamethasone) regimen was the most commonly used (70.7%) bortezomib-based treatment. Among the newly diagnosed patients, bortezomib-based treatment afforded an overall response rate of 79.3%. The median overall survival was not reached. Univariate analysis showed that the hemoglobin level affected response while age, hemoglobin and calcium levels, the choice of induction regimen, and the depth of response all had an impact on survival.

Conclusion This study is the first to investigate the real-world outcomes of reduced-dose bortezomib in MM treatment and may provide initial evidence that bortezomib vial-sharing is an acceptable strategy in the treatment of MM in resource-limited setting.

Article published online:
14 July 2022

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