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Allografting

Outcome of unrelated transplants in patients with multiple myeloma

Bone Marrow Transplantation volume 35, pages 675–681 (2005)Cite this article

Summary:

The outcome of patients with multiple myeloma treated with standard therapy is disappointing, with a historical median survival of 3 years. Although high-dose therapy with autologous stem cell transplant has improved treatment outcomes, cure is unlikely. Allogeneic transplant provides a tumor-free graft and a graft-versus-myeloma effect. However, only a minority of patients has a compatible sibling donor. Unrelated hematopoietic stem cell transplant is another option. We analyzed the outcome of patients who received an unrelated bone marrow transplant facilitated by the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP). Between 1989 and 2000, 71 patients received a myeloablative unrelated transplant for multiple myeloma; 70 patients consented for this analysis. The median recipient age was 44 years. A total of 31% of patients had received a prior autologous transplant. In all, 91% of patients engrafted. The 3-year cumulative incidence estimate of relapse was 34±10%. The incidence of Grade II–IV GVHD was 47%. The Kaplan–Meier estimate for overall survival at 5 years was 9±7%. The 100-day treatment-related mortality was 42%. In multivariate analysis, only a male donor was a significant predictor for survival. Better strategies are needed to treat patients with multiple myeloma, perhaps by using less-toxic, nonmyeloablative conditioning regimens.

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Acknowledgements

This research has been supported by funding from the National Marrow Donor Program, the Health Resources Services Administration #240-97-0036 to the National Marrow Donor Program. The views expressed in this article do not reflect the official policy or position of the US government.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA

    K K Ballen

  2. National Marrow Donor Program, Minneapolis, MN, USA

    R King, M Carston, C Kollman & G Nelson

  3. Albany Medical College, Albany, NY, USA

    S Lim

  4. Princess Margaret Hospital, Toronto, Canada

    D Reece

  5. MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA

    S Giralt

  6. Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA

    D H Vesole

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  1. K K Ballen
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Correspondence to K K Ballen.

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Ballen, K., King, R., Carston, M. et al. Outcome of unrelated transplants in patients with multiple myeloma. Bone Marrow Transplant 35, 675–681 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bmt.1704868

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