Personalized, ctDNA analysis to detect minimal residual disease and identify patients at high risk of relapse with multiple myeloma.

Authors

null

Binod Dhakal

Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI

Binod Dhakal , Shruti Sharma , Svetlana Shchegrova , Minu Maninder , Meenakshi Malhotra , Himanshu Sethi , Bernhard Zimmermann , Paul R. Billings , Alexey Aleshin , Parameswaran Hari

Organizations

Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, Natera, Inc., San Carlos, CA, Omicia, Oakland, CA

Research Funding

No funding received
None

Background: Despite treatment with high-dose chemotherapy followed by autologous stem cell transplantation (AHCT), MM patients invariably relapse. MRD-negativity post-AHCT has emerged as the most important prognostic marker. Currently, MRD in MM is monitored via bone marrow aspirate sampling. Marrow MRD assays are limited by the spatial heterogeneity of marrow MM localization; extramedullary disease and sampling variability of marrow aspiration. Sensitive, non-invasive blood-based MRD assay is an unmet need. ctDNA as a noninvasive biomarker can be utilized to predict relapse in MM. Here we attempt to evaluate MRD using ctDNA in AHCT recipients with MM. Methods: In this retrospective, single-center study, we analyzed ctDNA MRD in blood samples collected from 28 patients with MM after upfront AHCT. A total of 80 plasma timepoints were available pre and post AHCT with a median follow-up of 92.4 months. Multiparameter flow cytometry (MFC) at 10-4 level was used to assess the MRD from the BM biopsy. Individual bone marrow aspirates or FFPE slides from the time of MM diagnosis and matched normal blood were whole-exome sequenced, and somatic mutations were identified. MRD assessment at 3 months post-AHCT was performed by ctDNA analysis using a personalized, tumor-informed (SignateraTM, bespoke mPCR NGS assay). The prognostic value of ctDNA was evaluated by correlating MRD status with clinical outcomes. Results: Table provides the baseline disease characteristics. Median age was 67 [41-75] years and 16 [57.1%] were males. ctDNA was detectable in 70.8% (17/24) of pre-AHCT, 53.6% (15/28) of ̃3 months post-AHCT, and 39.2% (11/28) of patients during the surveillance phase post-AHCT. Of the 15 ctDNA MRD positive patients, 93.3% (n=14) experienced relapse on follow-up (hazard ratio: 5.64; 95% CI: 1.8-17; p=0.0003). Patients negative for ctDNA at 3 months post-AHCT had significantly superior progression-free survival (PFS) compared to positive (median PFS, 84 months vs. 31 months; p=0.003) The positive predictive value (PPV) for relapse among patients positive for ctDNA at 3 months post-AHCT was 93.3%, and significantly higher than marrow MFC of 68.4%. Conclusions: Our study shows the feasibility that a tumor-informed assay on archival blood samples is predictive of relapse post-AHCT. Future prospective studies with real-time marrow NGS and ctDNA samples are needed to define the role of ctDNA in MM and its prognostic significance.

Baseline characteristics.

Characteristics

N=28 (%)
Isotype

 IgG kappa/lambda

 IgA kappa/lambda

 Light chain



20 (71)

3 (11)

5 (18)
ISS stage

 I

 II

 III

 Unknown



15 (54)

11 (39)

1 (3.5)

1 (3.5)
 High risk cytogenetics

4 (14)
Induction

 VRD

 CyBorD

 Others



13 (46)

11 (39)

4 915)
Post-Transplant response

 Complete/near complete response

 Very good partial response

 Partial response



14 (50)

5 (18)

9 (32)

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Abstract Details

Meeting

2021 ASCO Annual Meeting

Session Type

Poster Session

Session Title

Hematologic Malignancies—Plasma Cell Dyscrasia

Track

Hematologic Malignancies

Sub Track

Multiple Myeloma

Citation

J Clin Oncol 39, 2021 (suppl 15; abstr 8029)

DOI

10.1200/JCO.2021.39.15_suppl.8029

Abstract #

8029

Poster Bd #

Online Only

Abstract Disclosures