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University of Arkansas for Medical Science, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
Correspondence: Nikhil C. Munshi, M.D., Professor of Medicine, Section of Hematology/Oncology, University of Arkansas for Medical Science, 4301 W. Markham-Slot 776, ACRC Building, Suite 916, Little Rock, Arkansas 72205, USA. Telephone: (501) 686-8250; Fax: (501) 686-6442; e-mail: Munshinikhilc{at}exchange.uams.edu
| ABSTRACT |
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Key Words. . Arsenic trioxide • Multiple myeloma • Antiangiogenesis • Apoptosis
| INTRODUCTION |
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Important characteristics of MM in the U.S. are summarized in Table 1
. MM accounts for approximately 1% of all types of malignant disease and about 10% of hematopoietic malignancies (Multiple Myeloma Cancer Resource Center; American Cancer Society webpage, http://www3.cancer.org/cancerinfo/load_cont.asp?ct= 30&st=tr). MM accounts for 20% of deaths due to hematologic malignancies. In the U.S., approximately 36,000 individuals are living with MM. The incidence of MM increases with age; the median age at diagnosis is 63 years, and the disease occurs only rarely in patients younger than 40 years [1]. The incidence of MM in African Americans is approximately twice that in whites. Although the incidence of MM has increased in both African American and white individuals within the past 3 decades, this is probably related to improved diagnosis and increased availability and use of medical services [2].
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Minimal criteria for a diagnosis of MM is a bone marrow biopsy with results indicating >10% of plasma cells or a plasmacytoma plus a combination of M protein in the serum, M protein in the urine, or lytic bone lesions [1]. With magnetic resonance imaging, bone marrow involvement can appear as diffuse infiltration, focal bone lesions, or a combination of the two patterns.
| CURRENT TREATMENT OPTIONS FOR MM |
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Within the past decade, high-dose chemotherapy has been identified as an effective treatment option for MM. Earlier, high-dose therapy (140 mg/m2 melphalan i.v.) was shown to produce responses, including complete responses, even in patients refractory to conventional chemotherapy. However, this treatment without stem cell support was associated with severe and durable myelosuppression and a high mortality rate [7].
Subsequently, autologous bone marrow transplantation reduced the hematologic toxicity of high-dose melphalan and allowed the use of even higher doses of melphalan and myeloablative regimens with total body irradiation. In numerous studies, high-dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell support was superior to standard therapy [5, 8]. With this regimen, complete response rates approached 40%, event-free survival was 2-4 years, and overall survival reached 4-6 years.
The first randomized study comparing the two therapies was conducted by the Intergroupe Français du Myelome in newly diagnosed patients under 65 years of age (n = 200). Results demonstrated the superiority of high-dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell support with respect to response rate, event-free survival, and overall survival [5].
A similar advantage for high-dose therapy and autologous stem cell support over conventional chemotherapy was shown in an analysis of 133 patients with advanced MM who were treated with various high-dose regimens [8]. A long-term analysis from a larger patient population (n = 1,000) reported by the same group demonstrated a 5-year continuous complete remission rate of 52% with high-dose therapy in good-risk patients without chromosome 13 abnormalities and with ß2-microglobulin
2.5 mg/l, C-reactive protein (CRP)
4 mg/l, and previous standard chemotherapy of
12 months duration [9].
One study assessing the timing of high-dose therapy [10] compared patients receiving high-dose therapy upfront with those receiving it as a rescue therapy after failing standard treatment. Overall survival was similar for all patients receiving high-dose therapy, with median survival exceeding 5 years. However, patients who received early high-dose therapy had a shorter duration of treatment and a longer time without symptoms and treatment toxicity than did patients who received late rescue therapy.
Despite improvements in response rates with high-dose therapy and stem cell transplantation, patients continue to relapse. In addition to therapy-related toxicity, the risk of myelodysplastic syndrome is increased in these patients. About 8%-10% of patients
50 years of age with >12 months of prior therapy develop myelodysplastic syndrome within 7 years of transplantation [11].
| PROGNOSTIC FACTORS |
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Bone marrow microvessel density also has prognostic significance. The bone microenvironment plays a crucial role in regulating growth and survival of MM cells and mediating the resistance of these cells to chemotherapy and radiation [13]. In one study, patients with a bone marrow microvessel density of
4 per high-power field had superior survival after high-dose therapy [14].
| NEW TREATMENT MODALITIES |
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Harnessing the graft-versus-myeloma effect observed after allogeneic stem cell transplantation [15] is one of several immunotherapeutic strategies under investigation. Although allogeneic transplantation after high-dose therapy is associated with response rates higher than those achieved with autologous transplants, treatment-related mortality increases with age and can exceed 50% in older patients (International Bone Marrow Transplant Registry; http://www.ibmtr.org/infoserv/info_sums3.html). Recently, nonmyeloablative allogeneic transplants (minitransplants) followed by donor lymphocyte infusions have reduced transplant-associated toxicity while retaining the beneficial graft-versus-tumor effect of the donor lymphocytes. In addition, various attempts to stimulate the generation of immune responses to MM-specific antigens via vaccination are under way. Methods being evaluated include idiotypic vaccines, fusion of MM cells and dendritic cells to enhance antigen presentation, and DNA vaccines to generate specific humoral and cellular responses against MM antigens. A variety of cytokines, including interferon-
and interleukin 2 (IL-2), have been investigated as adjuncts to therapy.
Antiangiogenic agents are receiving more attention as potential therapies for MM since an association has been made between higher bone marrow microvessel density and poorer outcome [14]. The effects of thalidomide may be mediated at least partially by the agent's antiangiogenic properties. Thalidomide induces marked and durable responses in some patients with advanced, refractory MM, including those who have relapsed after high-dose therapy [16]. Single-agent thalidomide produced an overall 32% response rate. The antimyeloma effect of thalidomide may not be confined to its antiangiogenic properties and may have direct and indirect effects on MM and bone marrow cells that influence cell growth and survival.
A variety of substances produced by endothelial and stromal cells that affect MM cell growth and survival are targets under investigation. Bisphosphonates, a class of agents that indirectly targets stromal cells, inhibit osteoclasts and the production of bone-resorbing cytokines. These agents appear to induce apoptosis, thus demonstrating a direct antimyeloma effect [17].
| RATIONALE FOR USE OF ARSENIC TRIOXIDE IN MM |
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) fusion proteins [18]. However, its antileukemic effects in non-APL myeloid and lymphoid disease appear to occur independently of expression of these proteins. For this reason, arsenic trioxide may be broadly active against hematologic malignancies other than APL, including MM. Arsenic trioxide has a variety of in vitro actions on human MM cells and cell lines [19-21]. Tang et al. demonstrated that arsenic trioxide induces apoptosis in human MM cell lines via activation of procaspase-3, which triggers cell death by degradation of tumor necrosis factor-receptor inactivating protein [19]. Exogenous IL-6 can prevent apoptosis of MM cells initiated by dexamethasone or serum starvation [22]. However, IL-6 did not protect the cells from arsenic-induced apoptosis. Thus, the mechanism by which arsenic trioxide induces apoptosis in MM cells may be different from that of dexamethasone.
The in vitro studies of arsenic-induced apoptosis in MM cells show that pharmacologic concentrations of arsenic trioxide preferentially trigger MM cell death in nonseparated bone marrow samples from newly diagnosed patients while sparing most myeloid cells [20]. Furthermore, Park et al. report inhibition of proliferation of primary MM cells and MM cell lines by arsenic trioxide in a dose-dependent manner [21]. arsenic trioxide appears to induce cell cycle arrest (G1 and/or G2-M phase) by inducing the p21 cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor protein and by triggering apoptosis through caspase-3 [21]. Finally, arsenic trioxide appears to exert an antileukemic effect in part through inhibition of angiogenesis and thus may have particular potency in the treatment of MM [23].
| CLINICAL EXPERIENCE WITH ARSENIC TRIOXIDE IN MM |
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Figure 1
summarizes the treatment protocol. Eligible patients (n = 10) received a 2-hour daily infusion of arsenic trioxide 0.15 mg/kg for 60 days (the same dosage used in the treatment of APL). Patients were evaluated for response, defined as a reduction in myeloma paraprotein at days 30 and 60. Treatment was continued for an additional 30 days in patients showing a response. Retreatment was initiated in responders between 3 and 6 weeks after first treatment.
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The toxicities (grades 3-5) reported in MM patients treated with arsenic trioxide were somewhat different from those reported in APL patients. The regimen was well-tolerated except for the development of cytopenia, which responded to G-CSF. Patients were not required to have a normal blood count to enter the study; thus, cytopenia may have been related to previous therapies. One patient developed a grade III pulmonary complication.
| CONCLUSIONS |
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