Dr. Rosenberg on Adapting Treatment Decisions Based on MRD in Multiple Myeloma

Aaron Seth Rosenberg, MD, MS, associate professor, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, UC Davis Health, discusses the emerging role of minimal residual disease (MRD) to guide treatment decisions in multiple myeloma.

The findings from currently enrolling clinical trials could provide insight into how to better adapt treatments to patient responses, Rosenberg says. Ongoing trials are evaluating how patients who don’t achieve MRD negativity after transplant fare with escalated treatment approaches, Rosenberg continues. Additional studies are testing whether it is feasible to stop maintenance therapy in patients who are MRD negative 2 years post-transplant, Rosenberg adds.

Sustained MRD negativity could offer an end point to guide therapy escalation in multiple myeloma, Rosenberg says. Patients who achieve MRD negativity could potentially deescalate therapy rather than receive continuous maintenance therapy, Rosenberg concludes.