BACKGROUND: The common drugs used for the treatment of Newly Diagnosed Multiple Myeloma (NDMM) include bortezomib and lenalidomide, but the adverse effects of lenalidomide cannot be ignored, especially when it is used in the initial therapy.

METHODS: This retrospective study evaluated the efficacy and safety of a modified DVD regimen (pegylated liposomal doxorubicin, bortezomib, and dexamethasone) followed by lenalidomide in the treatment of NDMM. A total of 40 NDMM patients were treated with a reduced dose of pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (20 mg/m²) on day 1, subcutaneous bortezomib (1.3 mg/m²) on days 1, 4, 8, and 11, and dexamethasone (20 mg) on days 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, 11, and 12 (20 days for each course). When patients failed to achieve partial or better response after 2 courses of treatment, a regimen containing lenalidomide was administered. After the induction therapy, 15 eligible patients received Peripheral Blood Stem Cells (PBSC) mobilization and transplantation followed by maintenance therapy with lenalidomide.

RESULTS: The response rate (≥ very good partial response) was 55% and 80% after 2 and 4 courses, respectively. The 18-month Progression Free Survival (PFS) and Overall Survival (OS) were 78.6% and 83.4%, respectively. Grade 3 or 4 hematologic toxicity occurred in less than 10% of patients. In addition, all 15 transplant-eligible patients successfully mobilized PBSC (median CD34⁺cells = 4.59 × 10⁶/kg) and underwent autologous PSBC transplantation.

CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that the modified DVD regimen followed by lenalidomide is an effective and well-tolerated regimen, and has little influence on the PBSC collection and transplantation for patients with NDMM.