Prognostic factors for survival after autologous transplantation: a single centre experience in 133 multiple myeloma patients

Autologous stem cell transplantation ( ASCT) has an established role in the treatment of symptomatic multiple myeloma ( MM). Our aim was to analyse the impact of selected prognostic parameters on the survival of patients with MM after ASCT. The new International Staging System ( ISS) was also evaluated. A total of 133 MM patients were transplanted in our centre between 1995 and 2002. Following ASCT, 35% of patients were in complete remission (CR) and 60% were in partial remission ( PR). The median progression-free (PFS) and overall ( OS) survival from transplantation were 29.5 and 68.8 months, respectively. Transplant-related mortality (TRM) was 3%. On multivariate analysis, factors associated with significantly shorter OS were lack of CR after transplant ( P = 0.002, hazard ratio (HR): 3.1), stage 3 according to ISS ( P = 0.001, HR: 3.0) and age at transplant over 60 years ( P = 0.035, HR: 2.0). The status of disease before ASCT did not significantly affect PFS and OS after transplantation. We conclude that ASCT is a safe and effective procedure in MM patients, associated with low TRM. The survival after ASCT was dependent on response after ASCT, stage according to ISS and age.