title: Autologous stem cell transplantation for multiple myeloma: identification of prognostic factors.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of prognostic factors on the outcome of patients with MM after ASCT.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed results of 170 consecutive patients (121 male and 49 female) of MM who underwent ASCT. Patients' median age was 52 years (range, 26-68 years). High dose melphalan (200 mg/m(2)) was used for conditioning. One hundred thirty-two patients (77.6%) had evidence of chemosensitive disease before transplant. Response was assessed using European Group for Blood and Bone Marrow Transplantation criteria.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Post ASCT 44.7% of patients achieved CR, 24.7% had very good partial response (VGPR), and 21.2% had partial response (PR). Presence of pretransplant chemosensitive disease (CR, VGPR, and PR) and transplant within 12 months of diagnosis for years before 2006 were associated with higher response rates on multivariate analysis. At a median follow-up of 84 months, median overall (OS) and event-free survival (EFS) is 85.5 and 41 months, respectively. Estimated OS and EFS at 60 months is 62 ± 0.04% and 41 ± 0.04%, respectively. Patients who responded to transplant (CR, VGPR, and PR) had a longer OS (P < .001) and EFS (P < .001). Additionally, patients who achieved CR post transplant had a longer OS (P < .001) and EFS (P < .001). Patients who received novel agents for induction pretransplant had a longer OS (P < .001) and EFS (P < .002).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Outcome after ASCT is better for myeloma patients with pretransplant chemosensitive disease and those who achieve CR after transplant.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Laboratory Oncology, Institute Rotary Cancer Hospital, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India. lalitaiims@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Lalit
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: Sunu L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Cyriac
authors.forename: Tilak V S V G K
authors.initials: TV
authors.lastname: Tejomurtula
authors.forename: Ankur
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bahl
authors.forename: Bivas
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Biswas
authors.forename: Ranjit K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Sahoo
authors.forename: Anjali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mukherjee
authors.forename: Omdutt
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Sharma
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008558:Melphalan / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery*; D011379:Prognosis; D012074:Remission Induction; D019172:Transplantation Conditioning / Q000379:methods; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating; D008558:Melphalan