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Allografting

Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation for consolidation of VGPR or CR for newly diagnosed multiple myeloma

Abstract

Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) is a potentially curative approach in patients with multiple myeloma, but its use for consolidation of first remission has not yet been fully explored. Twenty-two myeloma patients with very good partial response (VGPR) or CR received allogeneic peripheral blood grafts as consolidation from HLA-matched donors between 2007 and 2012. Conditioning regimens were fludarabine (30 mg/m2 i.v. if with bortezomib and 40 mg/m2 i.v. when without bortezomib, × 4 days) plus melphalan (70 mg/m2 intravenously × 2 days) with (n=13) or without (n=9) bortezomib (1.3 mg/m2). The cumulative incidence of grades II – IV acute GVHD at day 100 was 45% (95% CI: 24–65%) and moderate-to-severe chronic GVHD at 2 years was 46% (95% CI: 19–69%). With a median follow-up of 18 (range, 2–61) months, the 2-year PFS estimate is 74.8% (95% CI: 45–90%), which compares favorably with the 52% (95% CI: 35–66%) after autologous HCT for similar patients (a median follow-up of 30 (range, 9–55) months). We are conducting a phase 2 study to assess the efficacy of allogeneic HCT as post-remission therapy.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the patients, physicians, nurses and research staffs at MCC. We also thank Ms Pamela Reiersen for data collection on QOL measures.

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Correspondence to T Nishihori.

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Competing interests

MA is a consultant to and receives research support from Millennium Pharmaceuticals Inc.; RB, receives research support from Millennium Pharmaceuticals Inc. The remaining authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Nishihori, T., Ochoa-Bayona, J., Kim, J. et al. Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation for consolidation of VGPR or CR for newly diagnosed multiple myeloma. Bone Marrow Transplant 48, 1179–1184 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/bmt.2013.37

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