Engraftment, clinical, and molecular follow-up of patients with multiple myeloma who were reinfused with highly purified CD34+cells to support single or tandem high-dose chemotherapy

Eighty-two patients with advanced multiple myeloma (MM) were enrolled In 2 sequential clinical studies of 1 or 2 courses of myeloablative therapy with stem cell support. Conditioning regimens consisted of high-dose melphalan (MEL) with or without total body irradiation (TX1 = 35) and MEL as the first preparative regimen, followed within 6 months by busulfan and melphalan (TX2 = 47), On the basis of adequate stem cell harvest, 31 patients (TX1 = 13; TX2 = 18) were transplanted with highly purified CD34(+) cells. Positively selected stem cells did not adversely affect hematopoietic reconstitution compared with unmanipulated peripheral blood stem cell. Overall, the complete remission (CR) rate of evaluative patients was 13.8% and 41% for single and double autotransplant, respectively (P =.04). Moreover, 3 patients undergoing TX2 achieved molecular remission and 2 remain PCR-negative after 36 and 24 months from autograft, The median event-free survival (EFS) durations for TX1 and TX2 were 17 and 35 months, respectively (P=.03), Actuarial 3-year overall survival for patients treated with 1 or 2 transplants are 76% and 92%, respectively (P = NS), On multivariate analysis, superior EFS was associated with low beta 2 microglobulin (beta 2-M) level at diagnosis and TX2, whereas overall survival was correlated with beta 2-M, Positive selection of CD34(+) cells did not influence the achievement of clinical or molecular CR, as well as remission duration or survival of MM patients. Thus, whereas multiple cycles of high-dose therapy may be beneficial for patients with myeloma, the clinical impact of tumor cell purging remains highly questionable. (Blood, 2000;95:2234-2239) (C) 2000 by The American Society of Hematology.