Assessments
SECONDARY, MYELOMA
The primary endpoint was to determine the rates of very good partial response or better (≥VGPR) after four courses of VPd. The secondary endpoints were the assessment of safety, PFS, and OS.At baseline, all patients underwent serum protein electrophoresis (SPEP) with quantification of M-protein, immunofixation (IF), serum free light chain assay (SFLC), estimation of beta two microglobulin, bone marrow aspiration-biopsy with testing for cytogenetic abnormalities using fluorescent in-situ hybridization (FISH), and PET-CT scanning as skeletal imaging. The complete blood count, renal and liver function tests, plasma glucose, and serum calcium levels were estimated at baseline and before each cycle. Quantifying M-protein in blood was done at the end of two cycles as an interim assessment for patients with a baseline elevation. Complete response assessments, including SPEP, IF, SFLC, bone marrow biopsy, and PET-CT scanning were done at the end of four cycles. The response was assessed according to the International Myeloma Working Group (IMWG) Uniform Response Criteria [