TREATMENT WITH AUTOLOGOUS STEM CELL TRANSPLANTATION IN MULTIPLE MYELOMA PATIENTS A 10YEAR SINGLE CENTRE EXPERIENCE

Background - Multiple myeloma is a malignant neoplasm of plasma cells. Autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) has become the fi rst line of therapy because of the low transplant-related mortality and its ability to prolong event-free survival, which results in improved quality of life. High–dose therapy (HDT) with ASCT should be part of the primary treatment in newly diagnosed patients under the age of 65 with adequate performance status and organ function. Aim: Th e aim of this study is to present our ten-year experience in treating multiple myeloma patients with ASCT. Materials and methods: Over a 10 -year period, we have performed 35 courses of HDT and consecutive ASCT in 31 patients with multiple myeloma (4 tandem transplantations). In this study, we retrospectively analysed the epidemiological characteristics of this group of patients. Results: Th ere were 14 female and 17 male patients. Th e median patient age was 52 years (range 43-64). Th e conditioning regimen used was high-dose Melphalan in doses of 200 mg/m 2 , and the dose used in the second (tandem) transplantation was 140 mg/m 2 . Th e median count of infused CD34+ cells was 3.65x10 6 /kg. As a source of added stem cells, we used phlebotomy in 3 patients. Th e median period from diagnosis to transplantations was 10 months. Of 31 patients, 21 (67%) are currently alive and 10 (33%) have died (3 renal failure, 3 multi-organ failure, 2 infections, and 2 fatal cerebral bleeding). Th e disease-free survival was 24 months. Conclusions: ASCT off ers better survival and quality of life compared to patients treated only with standard chemotherapy.