Autologous transplant (AT) with peripheral-blood stem-cell rescue for multiple myeloma. A clinical experience Autotrasplante (AT) de progenitores hematopoyéticos en mieloma múltiple. Experiencia clínica

Abstract

Background: Multiple myeloma is rarely curable. Advances in high dose chemotherapy and stem cell transplantation have improved overall survival and event-free disease periods, but relapses are inevitable. Aim: To report our experience with AT in multiple myeloma, between 1994 and 2003. Material and Methods: Retrospective analysis of 20 patients (12 women), with a mean age of 51.1 years. VAD (vincristine, doxorubicin and dexamethasone) was used as initial therapy in 19 patients. High dose cyclophosphamide (11 patients) and variations of VAD regimen (7) associated with granulocyte colony stimulating factor were used for peripheral-blood stem cell harvest. The conditioning regimen consisted of melphalan 200 mg/m 2 followed by the reinfusion of peripheral-blood stem cells 24 hours later. The median number of CD34 cells infused was 3,3×10 6/kg. Three patients were subjected to a second auto graft and one to a non-myeloablative transplant. Mean follow up was 35.5 months. Results: Mucositis a