Outcome and survival of myeloma patients diagnosed 2008–2015. Real-world data on 4904 patients from the Swedish Myeloma Registry

Epidemiology and outcome of myeloma is mainly reported from large university centers and collaborative groups and do not represent real world patients. The Swedish Myeloma Registry is a prospective population-based registry documenting characteristics, treatments and outcome in newly diagnosed myeloma, including asymptomatic and localized forms, with the purpose to improve the management and outcome. This report presents information on patients diagnosed between 2008 and 2015, including data on first line treatment up to 2014, with a follow-up until December 2016. We present age-adjusted incidence, patient characteristics at baseline, treatment, response, and survival. Baseline data was available with a 97% coverage in 4,904 patients (median age 71 years, males 70 years, females 73 years, 72% were 65 years or older), and one-year follow-up of 3,558 patients with symptomatic disease (92% of patients initially reported). The age-adjusted incidence was 6.8 myeloma cases per 100 000 inhabitants and year. Among initially symptomatic patients (n=3,988), 77% had osteolytic lesions or compression fractures, 49% had anemia, 18% impaired kidney function, and 13% hypercalcemia. High-dose therapy with autologous stem cell transplantation was given to 77% of patients up to 66 years, and to 22% of patients 66-70 years. In the study period, 68% received bortezomib, thalidomide, and/or lenalidomide as part of the first line treatment, rising from 31% in 2008 to 81% 2014. In MM, the median relative survival of patients 65 years or younger was 7.7 years, and 3.4 years in 66 years and older. Patients diagnosed with myeloma in more recent years were associated with significantly higher rates of complete or very good partial remission (p<0.05), and with a significant higher overall survival with a HR of 0.84 (95% CI 0.77-0.92; p< 0.05). There was small, but significant survival benefit in patients treated in university hospitals (HR 0.93; 95% CI 0.87-0.99, p<0.05). Analysis of progression-free survival has to await collection of additional follow-up data. We here report on a near complete real world population of myeloma patients during an 8-year period, when newer drugs were implemented into standard practice. The overall incidence and median age were both higher than in most previous studies, indicating a more complete coverage of older patients. Myeloma survival in Sweden compare to other large registry studies and responses and survival improved during the study period.