Researchers of this study analyzed the impact of removing 24-hour urine (24HRU) assessments from International Myeloma Working Group (IMWG) response criteria for patients with multiple myeloma (MM) following autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT). A secondary analysis of the phase 3 BMT CTN 0702 (STaMINA) trial was conducted. Patients’ responses were assessed using traditional IMWG criteria and urine-free response criteria, which removed the need for 24HRU immunofixation and M-protein thresholds for complete response and very good partial response. The results showed that removing 24HRU requirements changed less than 1% of patient responses, with a few upgrades and one downgrade in response categories. Importantly, no differences in progression-free survival (PFS) were observed between traditional and urine-free criteria across various response depths.

The study concluded that omitting 24HRU assessments from IMWG criteria had minimal impact on response classification and did not affect PFS prediction. Less than one-third of patients had 24HRU testing performed at diagnosis, highlighting its limited use in clinical practice. The findings suggest that urine-free IMWG assessments could simplify future trials by reducing logistical burden, patient discomfort, and operational costs.

Reference: Banerjee R, Fritz A, Akhtar O, et al. 24-Hour Urine Testing Does Not Add Value to Multiple Myeloma Response Assessments: A Secondary Analysis of BMT CTN 0702. American Society of Hematology. Published December 7, 2024. Accessed February 10, 2025. https://ash.confex.com/ash/2024/webprogram/Paper199615.html