What the trial was testing
The trial enrolled 25 patients with multiple myeloma. The study was sponsored by Emory University and tracked outcomes across the full group of patients who matched the trial's eligibility profile.
It was initial testing (phase 2). Trials at this stage are designed to produce evidence regulators and physicians can act on — not just observations to follow up later.
What the results showed
32% of patients with hard-to-treat blood cancer responded to this combination approach.
The Lancet. Haematology · 2024 · NCT03267888
These findings — that showed improvement after radiation plus immunotherapy for relapsed blood cancer — were published in the The Lancet. Haematology and represent the headline result of the study.
Researchers tracked outcomes across 25 patients enrolled in the trial. The result was consistent enough across the group that the team felt confident reporting it.
What this means for patients
For patients with multiple myeloma, this result changes the calculus on what to ask their care team about. Whether it changes day-to-day care depends on factors like disease subtype, prior treatments, and where the patient is in their care journey.
What you can do now
If you have multiple myeloma that's stopped responding to other treatments, this approach combines targeted radiation with immunotherapy. About one in three patients in this small study saw their cancer improve. This was an early-stage study and the combination is not yet FDA-approved. Ask your doctor about open trials or related approved options.
Eligibility for the treatments mentioned above depends on specific test results and clinical history. Bring this summary, the trial name, and your most recent labs or pathology report to your next visit.
Open multiple myeloma trials
AZD0305 as Monotherapy or in Combination With Anticancer Agents in Participants With Multiple Myeloma
This is a Phase I/II, modular, open-label, multicenter, dose escalation, and dose expansion/optimization study to evaluate the safety, tolerability, PK, immunogenicity, pharmacodynamics and efficacy of AZD0305 as monotherapy and in combination with other anticancer agents in participants with MM.
Alternate Doses and Dosing Schedules of Belantamab Mafodotin for Treatment of Triple-Class Refractory Multiple Myeloma
This phase II trial tests alternate doses and dosing schedules of belantamab mafodotin in treating patients with triple-class multiple myeloma that has come back (after a period of improvement) (recurrent) and/or does not respond to treatment (or that has not responded to previous treatment) (refractory). Belantamab mafodotin is a monoclonal antibody, belantamab, linked to a chemotherapy drug, mafodotin. Belantamab is a form of targeted therapy because it attaches to specific molecules (receptors) on the surface of cancer cells, known as BCMA receptors, and delivers mafodotin to kill them. This trial may help researchers determine if alternate doses and dosing schedules work better in preventing certain side effects, such as eye toxicity, and treating patients with recurrent or refractory multiple myeloma.