Multiple myeloma is a cancer of plasma cells that affects the bone marrow. The Hope Foundation funds research into novel therapies and treatment combinations through SWOG to extend survival and improve the quality of life for myeloma patients.
SWOG Trial Aims to Fill a Critical Gap in Myeloma Research: Treatment for Older and Frail Patients
Multiple myeloma treatment has advanced considerably in recent years, with survival outcomes improving for many patients. But there’s a significant catch: most of the clinical trials driving those advances have largely excluded the very patients who make up the majority of real-world myeloma cases.
The median age at diagnosis for myeloma is close to 70, yet patients who are older or frail are routinely left out of industry-sponsored clinical trials. This means that the most common myeloma patient – elderly, potentially frail, often treated at a community practice rather than an academic cancer center – has the least evidence-based guidance for their care.
The SWOG S2209 trial is designed to change that.
Several features set S2209 apart from typical myeloma trials. Eligibility criteria were specifically designed to maximize participation under common real-world clinical conditions, minimizing exclusions based on race, age, or organ dysfunction. All drugs used are already standard of care, but doses are adjusted for age and performance status. The trial also allows discontinuation of dexamethasone, a drug that can be particularly hard on older patients, once initial benefit has been recorded.
In addition to tracking traditional endpoints like survival and disease response, S2209 is collecting quality-of-life data directly from patients and tracking patient-reported symptoms including fatigue, pain, and neuropathy – recognizing that for this population, tolerability and wellbeing are just as important as efficacy.
S2209 aims to enroll 510 patients across roughly 500 sites nationwide.