[Autologous peripheral blood selected CD34+ cell transplantation in the treatment of multiple myeloma]

To investigate the clinical impact of CD(34)(+) cell selected autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (APBSCT) in multiple myeloma (MM).

The hematopoietic recovery time, treatment efficacy, survival rate, transplantation related morbidity and the cost were compared between 21 MM patients receiving CD(34)(+) APBSCT and 21 MM patients receiving unselected APBSCT. The age and beta(2) microglobulin level at diagnosis and disease status at the time of transplantation were similar in the two groups. The induction treatment and conditioning regimen were the same.

Significantly lower CD(34)(+) cells were infused in the selected group as compared with the control group: 2.2 (0.5 - 14.3) x 10(6)/kg vs 9.4 (1.1 - 15.0) x 10(6)/kg, (P < 0.001). The median times to neutrophil >or= 0.5 x 10(9)/L and platelet >or= 20 x 10(9)/L were 10 and 9 days for the selected group, and 9.5 (P = 0.357) and 4.5 days (P = 0.005) for the control group, respectively. Response rates were similar in both groups (85.7% for the selected group vs 90.4% for the control group). Three year disease-free survival (32% for the selected group vs 39% for the control group) and overall survival rates (85% for the selected group vs 79% for the control group) were not significantly different. Furthermore, unselected APBSCT could reduce the cost for the transplantation.

It shows that CD(34)(+) cell selected autologous transplantation is more expensive and does not improve the clinical outcome of patients with MM.