Patterns and effectiveness of bortezomib use according to age in the VESUVE cohort

Abstract

Therapeutical options for older multiple myeloma patients have been improved with the advent of new drugs, yet there is a lack of observational data for such patients. To address this issue, an age-stratified analysis of the VESUVE cohort of bortezomib users was performed. Among the 779 patients included in the analysis, 358 (46%) were aged ≤ 65 years, 282 (36%) were between 65–75 years and 139 (18%) were more than 75 years old. There were few significant differences in treatment parameters across age groups; notably, older patients received a lower dose of bortezomib and more frequently experienced general or administration site conditions, metabolism or nutrition disorders and cardiac disorders. Overall best response rate and progression-free survival were similar across age groups. Taken together, these results indicate that older patients do benefit from bortezomib and that tailored treatment in real-life clinical practice does not compromise effectiveness.

Keywords:

• Bortezomib
• multiple myeloma
• cohort studies
• survival analysis
• aged

Acknowledgments

This work was funded by an unconditional financial support from Janssen-Cilag France who had no role in study design; in the collection, analysis and interpretation of data; in the writing of the report; or in the decision to submit the paper for publication. The authors would like to thank all participating pharmacists and physicians, as well as the on-site clinical research assistants, ICTA France, for help in data collection and Professor Jean Soulier (Hôpital Saint-Louis, Paris) for help with cytogenetics data. The authors would also like to thank Dr Sylvie Blazejewski, Emmanuelle Bignon, Alise Le Monies De Sagazan, Ludovic Liège, Dr Patrick Bouex, Aurélie Balestra, Karelle Forest, Sophie Pichard, Régis Lassalle and all members of the data collection team for their work on the study (Université de Bordeaux).

Potential conflict of interest

Other than study funding, AG, JJ, PR and MR declare that the Pharmacoepidemiology unit has received research funding and grants that have contributed indiscriminately to the salaries of its employees, notably from: Abott, Aptalis, AstraZeneca, Bayer, Baxter, BMS, Boehringer, Erempharma, Helsinn, Leo pharma, Lilly, Lunbeck, Pierre Fabre, Pfizer, Merck Serono, Novartis, Nycomed, Sanofi, Stallergenes, Vifor, Vivatech; AFR, OF, JB none; TF personal fees from Celgene, BMS, Millennium, Novartis and Amgen outside the submitted work; GM support for meeting expenses from Janssen Cilag and Celgene outside the submitted work; NM research grants from Abott, Aptalis, AstraZeneca, Bayer, Baxter, BMS, Boehringer, Erempharma, Helsinn, Leo pharma, Lilly, Lunbeck, Pierre Fabre, Pfizer, Merck Serono, Novartis, Nycomed, Sanofi, Stallergenes, Vifor, Vivatech outside the submitted work; PN declares participation in the scientific co-ordination of an observational study for which the institute (Inserm CIC1401) received grants from Pfizer and Merck-Serono. Disclosure forms provided by the authors are available with the full text of this article at http://dx.doi.org/10.3109/10428194.2015.1096354