title: Controversies in multiple myeloma: to transplant or not?
abstract: The treatment of multiple myeloma (MM) has dramatically changed in the last decade due to the introduction of the immunomodulatory drugs (IMIDs) and proteasome inhibitors, otherwise known as the novel agents. Prior to the advent of the novel agents, the gold standard of treatment had been high-dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell transplantation (HDT/ASCT) for eligible candidates. Given the remarkable activity of the novel agents, and the significant morbidity of HDT/ASCT, the role of stem cell transplantation has now come into question. In this review, we explore the benefits and drawbacks to HDT/ASCT in the era of the novel therapies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Mount Sinai Beth Israel, 16th street and 1st avenue, New York, NY, 10003, USA, lspreeshagul@chpnet.org.
authors.forename: Isabel Ruth
authors.initials: IR
authors.lastname: Preeshagul
authors.forename: Koen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Van Besien
authors.forename: Tomer M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Mark
mesh_terms: D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000628:therapy*; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous / Q000379:methods*