Reduced alpha diversity of the oral microbiome correlates with short progression‐free survival in patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma treated with ixazomib‐based therapy (AGMT MM 1, phase II trial)

• Published in: EJHaem Vol. 2; no. 1; pp. 102 - 106
• Main Authors: Ludwig, Heinz, Hausmann, Bela, Schreder, Martin, Pönisch, Wolfram, Zojer, Niklas, Knop, Stefan, Gunsilius, Eberhard, Egle, Alexander, Petzer, Andreas, Einsele, Hermann, Hajek, Roman, Weisel, Katja, Krenosz, Karl Jochen, Lang, Alois, Lechner, Daniel, Greil, Richard, Berry, David
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01.02.2021; John Wiley and Sons Inc; Wiley
• Subjects: Antibiotics; Bone marrow; Dexamethasone; Enrollments; Microbiomes; Microbiota; molecular analysis; mucosal; Multiple myeloma; Patients; Short Report; Short Reports; Survival; Thalidomide; Transplants & implants; United States > US; molecular analysis; multiple myeloma; mucosal
• ISSN: 2688-6146; 2688-6146
• DOI: 10.1002/jha2.130

Alterations in the human microbiome have been linked to several malignant diseases. Here, we investigated the oral microbiome of 79 patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (MM) treated with ixazomib‐thalidomide‐dexamethasone. Increased alpha diversity (Shannon index) at the phylum level was associated with longer progression‐free survival (PFS) (10.2 vs 8.5 months, P = .04), particularly in patients with very long (>75% quartile) PFS . Additionally, alpha diversity was lower in patients with progressive disease (P < .05). These findings suggest an interrelationship between the oral microbiome and outcome in patients with MM and encourage a novel direction for diagnostic and/or therapeutic strategies.