Autologous stem cell transplantation safe and effective in myeloma patients

06-06-2006

Autologous stem cell transplantation safe and effective in myeloma.

According to a study from England, "High-dose therapy with autologous stem cell therapy (ASCT) has become the treatment of choice for eligible patients with myeloma.

"We analyzed retrospectively the prognostic influence of pretransplant characteristics and transplant modalities on response and survival in 211 myeloma patients who were transplanted in our center between 1994 and 2004."

"All patients received peripheral blood stem cell support after conditioning with melphalan alone (183 patients), or melphalan and total blood irradiation (28 patients).

"We evaluated the influence of age, type of multiple myeloma, status prior and post ASCT, previous treatment regimens, time of ASCT from diagnosis, year of autograft, dose of reinfused CD34+ cells, plasma cell infiltration and beta 2-microglobulin at diagnosis on overall survival (OS) and event-free survival (EFS) to define patients with better prognosis," researchers said.

"Median OS and EFS from transplantation were 50.9 and 20.1 months, respectively. Median OS from diagnosis was 68.8 months. Transplant-related mortality was 1.4%," D. O'Shea and colleagues at the Imperial College of Science, Technology & Medicine in London reported.

"Lower beta 2-microglobulin levels, achievement of complete remission (CR) post transplant and lower plasma cell infiltration at diagnosis and transplant correlated with longer EFS and OS, whereas CR at transplant and low international prognostic index at transplant correlated with better EFS.

"Higher CD34+ cell dose correlated with improved OS," continued investigators.

O'Shea concluded that ASCT "is safe and effective and the outcome is independent of age, time from diagnosis, previous treatment and conditioning regimen."

O'Shea and colleagues published their study in Bone Marrow Transplantation (Predictive factors for survival in myeloma patients who undergo autologous stem cell transplantation: a single-center experience in 211 patients. Bone Marrow Transplant, 2006;37(8):731-737).

For more information, contact A. Rahemtulla, University of London Imperial College Science Technology & Med, Hammersmith Hospital, Faculty Med, Dept. Hematology, Du Cane Rd., London W12 0NN, England.

Publisher contact information for the journal Bone Marrow Transplantation is: Nature Publishing Group, Macmillan Building, 4 Crinan St., London N1 9XW, England.

Keywords: London, England, Age, Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation, Myeloma, Prognosis, Safety & Efficacy, Transplant-Related Mortality.

This article was prepared by Hematology Week editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2006, Hematology Week via NewsRx.com.