Investigation of demographic features, performance, comorbidity status and mortality causes among multiple myeloma patients: real-life data

ABSTRACT

Background

The demographic characteristics, performance status, frequency of comorbidities and survival rate of patients with multiple myeloma (MM) show variability geographically and different risk scoring systems have been used to assess this population. Here, we present data from a Turkish cohort, focusing on identifying similarities and differences, relative to other reports in the literature.

Research Design and Methods

A total of 310 patients diagnosed with MM were enrolled. Their demographic characteristics were investigated retrospectively. For performance assessment; the ECOG-IMWG Myeloma Frailty Score, R-MCI and HCT-SCI scoring indexes were used. PFS and OS periods, as well as the causes of deaths, were determined.

Results

The mean age of all study participants was 65 ± 10 years. The mean PFS and OS periods were 24.14± 26.11 and 65.3 ± 4.4 months, respectively. The median R-MCI, CCI and HCT-CI scores were five, four and three points, respectively. Myeloma-related complications were the leading cause of death, with a frequency of 51%.

Conclusion

Among the scoring systems utilised, R-MCI was more convenient to apply due to its ease of use and practicality. Our study supports the heterogeneous course of myeloma and highlights geographic differences including comorbidities, causes of death and overall survival.

KEYWORDS:

• Cause of death
• heterogeneous
• multiple myeloma
• prognosis
• scoring index

Acknowledgments

We thank Dr. Gökhan Sargın for the statistical evaluation.

Reviewer disclosures

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Declaration of interest

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Ethics and Informed Consent

Adnan Menderes University Ethical Committee approval has been obtained for the study (2019-140). All procedures were in accordance with the ethical standards of the national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. Consent forms for participation and publication have been taken from all patients.

Author contributions

Concept – Ali Zahit Bolaman, İrfan Yavaşoğlu, Tuğba Şahin; Design – İrfan Yavaşoğlu, Atakan Turgutkaya, Supervision – Ali Zahit Bolaman, İrfan Yavaşoğlu; Resources – Ali Zahit Bolaman, Gürhan Kadıköylü, İrfan Yavaşoğlu; Materials - Ali Zahit Bolaman, Gürhan Kadıköylü, İrfan Yavaşoğlu; Data Collection and/or Processing – Tuğba Şahin; Analysis and/or Interpretation –İrfan Yavaşoğlu, Atakan Turgutkaya; Literature Search – Ali Zahit Bolaman, İrfan Yavaşoğlu, Atakan Turgutkaya; Writing Manuscript – Atakan Turgutkaya; Critical Review – Ali Zahit Bolaman, İrfan Yavaşoğlu

Additional information

Funding

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.