Fig 1. Treatment schema.

Patients received Ld induction (lenalidomide 25 mg daily on days 1–21 plus dexamethasone 40 mg once weekly during each 28-day-cycle) for 4 cycles. Patients in the Ld+ASCT arm received, starting 3 months post ASCT, L maintenance (lenalidomide 10 mg daily on days 1–28 of a 28-day cycle, escalated to 15 mg daily after 3 cycles if tolerated). Patients in the continued Ld arm received continuous Ld (continuous lenalidomide at the last tolerated dose until progression or toxicity plus dexamethasone 20 mg weekly for 1 year). ASCT, autologous stem cell transplantation; β₂M, beta-2 microglobulin; FISH, fluorescence in-situ hybridization; L, lenalidomide; Ld, lenalidomide plus low-dose dexamethasone; Ld+ASCT, Ld induction followed by early ASCT; NDMM, newly diagnosed multiple myeloma; PD, progressive disease; PR, partial response; R, randomization; SD, stable disease.