OBJECTIVES:

Multiple Myeloma (MM) is a cancer where patients often experience pain due to osteolytic lesions. Many patients receive treatment long-term, and symptom burden and quality of life are important to consider for patient well-being. In this study, we used electronic patient-reported outcomes (ePRO) through a remote symptom monitoring program in MM patients experiencing variable levels of pain.

METHODS:

MM patients over age 18 currently on treatment were enrolled in the Carevive PROmPT® remote symptom monitoring program from March 1, 2021 to October 30, 2022. All patients received baseline and weekly surveys assessing domains across symptom burden, physical function, frailty status, and overall health indicators. Fourteen unique symptoms were assessed using items derived from the Patient-Reported Outcomes Version of the Common Technology Criteria for Adverse Events (PRO-CTCAE). Patients were followed through 16 weeks.

RESULTS:

A total of 49 patients were included in analysis. They were primarily male (63%) and White (80%) with a mean age of 68.6. Nearly one-third of patients (n=14) reported baseline pain, which was severe in four cases. For these patients, the average number of symptoms reported was 4.5, compared to 2.1 for those without baseline pain. Both those with and without baseline pain experienced a reduction in average number of symptoms over time. However, those with baseline pain, on average, experienced at least one other co-occurring symptom throughout follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS:

This study highlights the importance of monitoring and addressing pain in MM patients, as pain at baseline may be associated with a higher symptom burden during treatment. This study also demonstrates the feasibility of ePROs and remote symptom monitoring in real-world clinical practice for assessing symptom burden and monitoring patient quality of life.