Immunoglobulin D myeloma: clinical features and outcome in the era of novel agents

A case report of biclonal immunoglobulin D lambda/lambda multiple myeloma in patient with liver echinococcosis

Less than 2% of all symptomatic multiple myeloma (MM) has immunoglobulin D (IgD) as monoclonal protein. Biclonal gammopathy is much rarer. At the time of diagnosis, disease is often in advanced stage, including renal failure, anemia, hypercalcemia and lytic bone lesions. Due to the rarity of myeloma itself, but also due to the fact that anti-IgD antisera is not used in routine practice, there are only a few reports of IgD MM described in the literature. This case report describes a patient with IgD lambda MM with anemia and renal failure. Anemia, renal failure, and > 80 percent plasma cells in bone biopsy in our patient with IgD lambda MM meets International Myeloma Working Group criteria for diagnosis of MM. The patient clinical course was similar to other patients with IgD MM. The final result of serum protein immunofixation (s-IFE) showed IgD lambda and free lambda monoclonal bands. To prevent misdiagnosis, it is necessary to use anti-IgD and anti-IgE antisera whenever the serum protein immunofixation with IgA, IgM, IgG, kappa and lambda antiserums shows a kappa or lambda monoclonal band without monoclonal band in heavy chain.

Proposed risk-scoring model for estimating the prognostic impact of 1q gain in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma

1q gain (+1q) is the most common high-risk cytogenetic abnormality (HRCA) in patients with multiple myeloma (MM). However, its prognostic value remains unclear in the era of novel agents. Here, we retrospectively analyzed the impact of +1q on the outcomes of 934 patients newly diagnosed with MM. +1q was identified in 53.1% of patients and verified as an independent variate for inferior overall survival (OS) (hazard ratio, 1.400; 95% confidence interval, 1.097-1.787; p = .007). Concurrence of other HRCAs (particularly t(14;16) and del(17p)) further exacerbated the outcomes of patients with +1q, suggesting prognostic heterogeneity. Thus, a risk-scoring algorithm based on four risk variates (t(14;16), hypercalcemia, ISS III, and high LDH) was developed to estimate the outcomes of patients with +1q. Of the patients, 376 evaluable patients with +1q were re-stratified into low (31.6%), intermediate (61.7%), and high risk (6.7%) groups, with significantly different progression-free survival and OS (p < .0001), in association with early relapse of the disease. The prognostic value of this model was validated in the CoMMpass cohort. While attaining undetectable MRD largely circumvented the adverse impact of +1q, it scarcely ameliorated the outcome of the patients with high risk, who likely represent a subset of patients with extremely poor survival. Hence, patients with +1q are a heterogeneous group of high-risk patients, therefore underlining the necessity for their re-stratification. The proposed simple risk-scoring model can estimate the outcomes of patients with +1q, which may help guide risk-adapted treatment for such patients.

Renal insufficiency predicts worse prognosis in newly diagnosed IgD multiple myeloma patients

Objective

IgD multiple myeloma (MM) is a rare type of MM, accounting for about 1%-2% of all MMs. IgD MM always causes kidney damage and even leads to renal failure, which is the most common complication. This study aimed to explore the risk factors of renal damage and prognosis of IgD MM patients.

Design

From March 2018 to November 2021, 85 patients with IgD MM diagnosed for the first time at the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University were included in this study. We collected information on clinical features and laboratory examinations. Patients were divided into the renal impairment (RI) (47/85) and non-renal impairment (no-RI) (38/85) groups. Binary logistic regression was used to explore risk factors of renal damage. The Chi-square test was used to analyze the difference in chemotherapy effect between the two groups. We also analyzed whether early dialysis was beneficial to acute renal failure (RF) in IgD MM patients. Finally, Kaplan-Meier was used to compare the survival of the two groups.

Results

In IgD MM, 55.3% of patients had renal damage as a complication, of which up to 59.6% presented with acute renal failure as the first manifestation. Serum β2-microglobulin (β2-MG) was an independent risk factor for renal damage in IgD MM (p = 0.002), but cytogenetic analysis suggested that it had no effect on patients' renal damage. There was also no significant difference in the effect of chemotherapy between the two groups (p = 0.255). In patients with acute renal failure, there was no significant difference between dialysis and no dialysis groups in the proportion of patients with improved renal function after treatment. The median overall survival (OS) of the RI group was significantly shorter than that of the no-RI group (p = 0.042). In the RI group, the median OS was 29 months, and in the no-RI group, the median OS was > 40 months.

Conclusion

Elevated serum β2-MG is an independent risk factor for renal damage. Compared with the no-RI group, patients in the RI group had poorer prognosis and shorter median OS. For patients with acute renal failure as the first manifestation, the treatment of primary disease is more meaningful than dialysis.

Clinical characteristics and outcomes of IgD myeloma: experience across UK national trials

Immunoglobulin D (IgD) myeloma is a subtype often considered to have adverse features and inferior survival, but there is a paucity of data from large clinical studies. We compare the clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with IgD myeloma from UK phase 3 myeloma trials analyzed in 2 groups: old (1980-2002) and recent (2002-2016) clinical trials, based on the time of adoption of novel myeloma therapies. Patients with IgD myeloma comprised 44 of 2789 (1.6%) and 70 of 5773 (1.2%) of the old and recent trials, respectively. Overall, IgD myeloma was associated with male predominance, low-level paraproteinemia (<10g/L), and λ light chain preference. The frequency of ultra-high-risk cytogenetics was similar in IgD myeloma compared with other subtypes (4.3% vs 5.3%, P > .99). Despite the old trial series being a younger group (median age: 59 vs 63 years, P = .015), there was a higher frequency of bone lesions, advanced stage at diagnosis, worse performance status, and severe renal impairment compared with the recent trials. Furthermore, the early mortality rate was significantly higher for the old trial series (20% vs 4%, P = .01). The overall response rate following induction therapy was significantly higher in the recent trials (89% vs 43%, P < .0001), and this was consistent with improved median overall survival (48 months; 95% confidence interval [CI] 35-67 months vs 22 months; 95% CI, 16-29 months). Survival outcomes for IgD myeloma have significantly improved and are now comparable to other myeloma types because of earlier diagnosis, novel therapies, and improved supportive care. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as # NCT01554852.

IgD Subtype But Not IgM or Non-Secretory Is a Prognostic Marker for Poor Survival Following Autologous Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation in Multiple Myeloma. Results From the EBMT CALM (Collaboration to Collect Autologous Transplant Outcomes in Lymphomas and Myeloma) Study

BACKGROUND

The Collaboration to Collect Autologous Transplant Outcomes in Lymphoma and Myeloma (CALM) study has provided an opportunity to evaluate the real-world outcomes of patients with myeloma. The aim of this study was to compare the outcome according to the different subtypes of myeloma using CALM data.

PATIENTS

This study compared overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and complete remission (CR) and the impact of novel versus non-novel drug containing induction regimens prior to autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) of 2802 patients with "usual" and "rare" myelomas.

RESULTS

Our data suggest that IgM and non-secretory myeloma have superior PFS and OS compared with IgD myeloma and outcomes comparable to those for usual myeloma. Patients who received novel agent induction had higher rates of CR prior to transplant. Non-novel induction regimens were associated with inferior PFS but no difference in OS. Although not the primary focus of this study, we show that poor mobilization status is associated with reduced PFS and OS, but these differences disappear in multivariate analysis suggesting that poor mobilization status is a surrogate for other indicators of poor prognosis.

CONCLUSION

We confirm that IgD myeloma is associated with the worst prognosis and inferior outcomes compared with the other isotypes.

Immunoglobulin D-λ/λ biclonal multiple myeloma: A case report

BACKGROUND

Immunoglobulin D (IgD) multiple myeloma (MM) is a rare subtype of MM and commonly occurs in younger subjects but at a later stage of the International Staging System (ISS) when admitted. As a special type of IgD myeloma, IgD-λ/λ biclonal MM is rarer. Its serum protein electrophoresis and serum immuno-fixation electrophoresis (IFE) might find no anomalies even if the bone marrow (BM) examination is performed. Thus, it is easy to miss the diagnosis.

CASE SUMMARY

A 62-year-old man diagnosed as IgD-λ/λ myeloma (ISS stage III) was admitted with fatigue and weight loss. The physical examination suggested an anemic face, a few moist rales at the left lung base, and mild concave edema in both lower extremities. Laboratory examinations showed the elevated creatinine levels, β2-microglobulin, lactic dehydrogenase, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate, while the decreased neutrophils, granulocytes, and hemoglobin. In the serum protein electrophoresis, there appeared two inconspicuous M-spikes. Serum IFE indicated an over-representation of lambda light chain and yielded two monoclonal bands in λ region, but only one corresponding heavy chain band in the antisera to IgD region. The BM histology and BM cytology both supported the diagnosis of IgD-λ/λ myeloma.

CONCLUSION

This case highlights the differential clinical manifestations and laboratory findings of IgD-λ/λ myeloma to help minimize the chance of misdiagnosis.

Efficacy and Safety of Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-Cell Therapy for Relapsed/Refractory Immunoglobulin D Multiple Myeloma

Immunoglobulin D (IgD) multiple myeloma (MM) is a rare subtype of MM that carries a worse prognosis than non-IgD subtypes. Compared with non-IgD subtypes, IgD MM is associated with a shorter survival time. The application of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy for patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma (R/R MM) has increasing evidence as an efficacious treatment. This study was designed to investigate efficacy and safety of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy for relapsed/refractory IgD MM (R/R IgD MM). In this single-arm, phase 2 trial, patients diagnosed with R/R IgD MM were infused with either a combination of anti-B-cell maturation antigen and anti-CD19 CAR T-cells or anti-CD19 CAR T-cells alone, with subsequent evaluation of therapeutic response and treatment-related toxicities. At the data cutoff date, 7 patients were enrolled in our study, and all patients achieved response based on the International Myeloma Working Group Uniform Response Criteria. Six patients achieved stringent complete remission (sCR) within 60 days after CAR T-cell infusion (median time 58 days, range 18 to 90 days), and 1 patient with extramedullary disease achieved minimal response (MR) at 30 days after infusion. Bone marrow minimal residual disease (MRD) negativity was achieved in all patients, and the median time to achieve MRD negativity was 22 days (range 14 to 60 days). The most common grade 3 to 4 treatment-related toxicities were hematological toxicities. All patients experienced cytokine release syndrome (CRS), although CAR T-cell-related neurotoxicity was not observed. In our study, CAR T-cell therapy showed encouraging efficacy in the patients with R/R IgD MM, achieving high rates of sCR and MRD negativity. Aside from CRS and prolonged hematologic toxicities, other adverse reactions were mild, suggesting that this is a well-tolerated treatment with a high therapeutic potential.

A Rare Case of Extramedullary Multiple Myeloma Presenting as Masses on the Breast and Chest Wall Complicated with Sjogren's Syndrome

Multiple myeloma (MM) in the breast has been rarely documented. However, there are no reports on concurrent masses of chest wall soft tissue and breast as the primary symptoms for MM. Herein, we report a case of a 68-year-old woman presented with masses in her right breast and chest wall for 1 month. She recalled having xerophthalmia and xerostomia for 2 years without taking any test to search for the cause of these symptoms. Ultrasonography (US) and computed tomography (CT) examination revealed masses in the right breast and chest wall. Both lesions of the breast and chest wall were confirmed to be plasma cell tumors by ultrasound-guided puncture biopsy and MM was confirmed by bone marrow examination. Meanwhile, Sjogren's syndrome (SS) was diagnosed by the positive expression of antibodies against antinuclear, Ro/SSA and La/SSB. After three courses of chemotherapy for MM, the symptoms of SS were significantly alleviated and the masses in the chest wall and breast disappeared.

Secretory status of monoclonal immunoglobulin is related to the outcome of patients with myeloma: a retrospective study

The treatment of multiple myeloma (MM) with proteasome inhibitor (PI) bortezomib has significantly improved the survival of patients with MM. The 26S proteasome inhibitor targets the unfolded protein response (UPR) by inhibiting proteasome degradation of ubiquitinated paraprotein, subsequently leading to the lethal accumulation of paraprotein within the endoplasmic reticulum. According to secretory status of monoclonal immunoglobulin, newly diagnosed MM (NDMM) is divided into measurable and unmeasurable disease, which includes oligosecretory, nonsecretory, and nonproducer myeloma. The present study analyzed the clinical characteristics of 822 patients with NDMM who had either measurable or unmeasurable diseases and received bortezomib- or thalidomide-based therapies. Our results showed that the median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) of patients with MM was significantly longer in patients with measurable disease than those in oligosecretory, nonsecretory, and nonproducer MM (PFS: 27, 18, 19, and 2.0 months, respectively [P < .001]; OS: 51, 30, 22, and 2.0 months, respectively [P < .001]). Within the unmeasurable group, patients with nonproducer myeloma showed the shortest PFS and OS. Importantly, compared with thalidomide treatment, bortezomib significantly improved the PFS and OS of patients with MM with measurable disease (PFS: 25 and 33 months [P = .022], respectively; OS: 41 and 58 months [P < .001], respectively), but not those with unmeasurable disease (PFS: 18 and 16 months [P = .617], respectively; OS: 22 and 27 months [P = .743], respectively). Our results indicate that bortezomib-based therapy performed no better than thalidomide-based treatment in patients with unmeasurable MM. The results need to be confirmed in other patient cohorts, preferably in the context of a prospective trial.

Plasma exchange combined with bortezomib-based chemotherapy is effective for early renal recovery in a patient with IgD-λ type multiple myeloma

The immunoglobulin (Ig) D type is a rare variant of multiple myeloma (MM), that accounts for 1-2% of all cases. Compared to the more common types of MM, IgD MM is known to have more severe symptoms at presentation, and a poorer prognosis. A woman was admitted to our hospital for severe acute kidney disease and disorder (AKD) and back pain, and was started on hemodialysis. The renal biopsy revealed light chain cast nephropathy. She was diagnosed with IgD-λ MM based on Bence-Jones protein expression and high IgD serum levels, and started bortezomib therapy with plasma exchange (PE). After three sessions of PE, the serum free light chain levels decreased by 92%, and she was withdrawn from dialysis. The patient underwent autologous transplantation and is still in remission, demonstrating the benefits of a bortezomib-based regimen in combination with PE for IgD MM with AKD.

The significance of prognostic profiling in the treatment of patients with multiple myeloma

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a hematological neoplasia characterized by clonal expansion of the most mature B lymphocytes, plasma cells (Plc), in the bone marrow (BM). Due to new treatment modalities, the 5-years survival has improved in the last 15 years, and nowdays ranges from 60-70%. The individual prognostic profile is based on the biological characteristics of the disease, clinical characteristics of patients and therapeutics response characteristics. The biological characteristics of the disease are defined by the clinical stage according to the Durie-Salmon classification and prognostic indices such the international staging system (ISS) and revised ISS (R-ISS). Numerous different mutations of prognostic significance have been discovered applying methods of molecular genetics such as next generation sequencing (NGS). The age and comorbity status of patients are the most important clinical characteristics because they are crucial for therapeutic choice and suitability for treatment with high-dose chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplantation. The prognostic influence of therapeutic response is very important and the most powerful prognostic factors are achievements of complete remission (CR) and minimal residual disease (MRD) negativity.

Presentation Patterns, Diagnostic Markers, Management Strategies, and Outcomes of IgD Multiple Myeloma: A Systematic Review of Literature

Immunoglobulin (Ig) D multiple myeloma (MM) is a rare subtype of MM comprising 2% of all the cases. Malignant plasma cell invasion leads to signs and symptoms similar to other subtypes of MM. The synthesis rate of IgD is lower in IgD MM patients, making it very difficult to diagnose compared to other subtypes. As there is no available diagnostic test with 100% accuracy, the diagnosis of IgD MM is based on multiple factors. Recent advances in the treatment have resulted in a better overall survival for IgD MM patients. The aim of this systematic review was to summarize the data on presentation patterns, diagnosis modalities, management strategies, and outcomes in patients with IgD MM.

Inhibition of HIF1α-Dependent Upregulation of Phospho-l-Plastin Resensitizes Multiple Myeloma Cells to Frontline Therapy

The introduction of novel frontline agents in multiple myeloma (MM), like immunomodulatory drugs and proteasome inhibitors, has improved the overall survival of patients. Yet, MM is still not curable, and drug resistance (DR) remains the main challenge. To improve the understanding of DR in MM, we established a resistant cell line (MOLP8/R). The exploration of DR mechanisms yielded an overexpression of HIF1α, due to impaired proteasome activity of MOLP8/R. We show that MOLP8/R, like other tumor cells, overexpressing HIF1α, have an increased resistance to the immune system. By exploring the main target genes regulated by HIF1α, we could not show an overexpression of these targets in MOLP8/R. We, however, show that MOLP8/R cells display a very high overexpression of LCP1 gene (l-Plastin) controlled by HIF1α, and that this overexpression also exists in MM patient samples. The l-Plastin activity is controlled by its phosphorylation in Ser5. We further show that the inhibition of l-Plastin phosphorylation restores the sensitivity of MOLP8/R to immunomodulatory drugs (IMiDs) and proteasome inhibitors (PIs). Our results reveal a new target gene of DR, controlled by HIF1α.

Immunoglobulin D Multiple Myeloma Presenting as Spontaneous Fracture

Immunoglobulin D multiple myeloma is a rare type of multiple myeloma that usually presents as bone pain, fatigue, or weight loss. We report a case of immunoglobulin D multiple myeloma in a 53-year-old Caucasian male patient with previous medical history of anaplastic oligodendroglioma status post-surgical resection who was evaluated for back pain while mowing the lawn. His physical examination showed tenderness over the lower thoracic vertebrae with no sensory or motor impairment. Initial lab investigations showed normocytic anemia and hypercalcemia with low parathyroid hormone. Magnetic resonance imaging of thoracic spine with and without contrast showed acute pathological fracture of the T12 vertebral body with enhancing soft tissue which extended into the left ventral epidural space and left T11-T12 neural foramen. Serum protein electrophoresis showed abnormal protein band in the gamma globulin. Free light chain assay showed serum free kappa which was elevated at 3,090.0 mg/L (reference range 3.3-19.4 mg/L). Immunoglobulin D was elevated at 566.0 mg/dL (reference range <15.3 mg/dL). The patient was successfully treated with standard chemotherapy and autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplant with complete remission 3 years after starting treatment. Advancement in the treatment of immunoglobulin D multiple myeloma urge clinicians to offer their patients new treatment options especially as of the earlier presentation of this subtype of multiple myeloma and the previous reports of worse prognosis.

Immunoglobulin D Multiple Myeloma: Disease Profile, Therapeutic Response, and Survival

OBJECTIVES

The long-term clinical characteristics, response to therapy, and survival in patients with immunoglobulin D (IgD) multiple myeloma (MM) were investigated.

METHODS

A retrospective study was conducted that included 68 patients treated in the last 10 years, 37 of whom received bortezomib only (bortezomib group), 13 of whom received bortezomib and underwent autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (bortezomib + ASCT group), and 18 of whom received conditional chemotherapy (non-bortezomib group).

RESULTS

The ratio of males to females was 44:24, and the median age was 56.5 years. The overall response rate of each group was 91.9, 77.8, and 100%, respectively. The median overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were 24 and 15.5 months, respectively, among the 68 patients. The median OS of each group was 23, 21.5, and 27 months, respectively. The median PFS of each group was 18, 12, and 24 months, respectively. The 3- and 5-year OS were 64 and 45%, respectively, and the 3- and 5-year PFS were 39 and 13%, respectively, among the 68 patients. Cox regression showed that the percentage of bone marrow plasmacytosis was significantly associated with OS (p = 0.038).

CONCLUSIONS

The survival of IgD patients is shorter than that of other MM patients. Treatment strategies with bortezomib followed by stem cell transplantation may boost the response rate and improve survival.

[The significance of serum IgD quantitation for evaluation of clinical efficacy in IgD multiple myeloma]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the significance of serum IgD quantitation in evaluation of clinical efficacy in IgD myeloma.

METHODS

Serum IgD and free light chain (sFLC) levels were determined by immune scatter turbidimetry with SPA plus analysis machine in 29 patients with IgD multiple myeloma (MM) achieving VGPR or better response following previous treatments. The concurrent immunofixation electrophoresis (IFE) results were also incorporated and analyzed.

RESULTS

Increased IgD levels were detected in 1 of 12 patients achieving sCR, 2 of 5 patients achieving CR and 4 of 12 patients achieving VGPR, respectively. The median progression-free survival (PFS) was 38.5 months, 34.1 months and 15.5 months for patients achieving sCR, CR and VGPR, respectively, with a significant difference between sCR and VGPR groups (P=0.022), and between CR and VGPR groups (P=0.018). There was no difference in overall survival (OS) among sCR, CR and VGPR groups (P>0.05). The median PFS were 7.8, 33.7 and 43.9 months, respectively for the patients with both abnormal sFLC ratios and IgD levels (6 cases, Group A), with either abnormal sFLC ratios or increased IgD levels (10 cases, Group B) or with normal sFLC ratios and IgD levels (13 cases, Group C). A significant PFS benefit of Group A over Group C was found (P=0.033), and no differences in terms of OS among three groups (P>0.05).

CONCLUSION

IgD levels may remain abnormal in IgD MM patients who have achieved VGPR or better response, and IgD quantitation represented a useful assay complementary to the current lab examinations. IgD quantitation assay was of significance in clinical efficacy evaluation and survival judgement, and should be incorporated into the evaluation parameters used for IgD MM in addition to sFLC and IFE assays.

Aggressive FLC Escape in a Patient with IgD Myeloma

Background. Some patients who are stable or in remission from a myeloma secreting intact monoclonal immunoglobulin (+/− associated free light-chains (FLCs)) relapse with production of FLC. This FLC escape is one of the illustrations of the intraclonal heterogeneity of multiple myeloma. Results. We report FLC escape in a patient with IgD myeloma characterized by a severe outcome. We discuss parameters that negatively impacted prognosis in this patient, including bone lesions, biochemical parameters, and genomic abnormalities. Conclusion. This case illustrates the selective pressure exerted by therapeutic drugs and the variable sensitivity of subclones to these drugs; it also highlights the importance of FLC monitoring in treated MM patients.

IgD heavy-chain deposition disease: detection by laser microdissection and mass spectrometry

Monoclonal Ig deposition disease (MIDD) is a rare complication of monoclonal gammopathy characterized by deposition of monoclonal Ig light chains and/or heavy chains along the glomerular and tubular basement membranes. Here, we describe a unique case of IgD deposition disease. IgD deposition is difficult to diagnose, because routine immunofluorescence does not detect IgD. A 77-year-old man presented with proteinuria and renal failure, and kidney biopsy analysis showed a nodular sclerosing GN with extensive focal global glomerulosclerosis, tubular atrophy, and interstitial fibrosis. Immunofluorescence was negative for Ig deposits, although electron microscopy showed deposits in the glomeruli and along tubular basement membranes. Laser microdissection of glomeruli and mass spectrometry of extracted peptides showed a large spectra number for IgD, and immunohistochemistry showed intense glomerular and tubular staining for IgD. Together, these findings are consistent with IgD deposition disease. Bone marrow biopsy analysis showed 5% plasma cells, which stained for IgD. The patient was treated with bortezomib and dexamethasone, which resulted in improvement of hematologic parameters but no improvement of renal function. The diagnosis of IgD deposition disease underscores the value of laser microdissection and mass spectrometry in further evaluating renal biopsies when routine assessment fails to reach an accurate diagnosis.