Autologous stem cell transplantation in patients with high-risk plasmacytoma

Although autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) is considered standard treatment in patients with multiple myeloma (MM), limited experience is available on this approach in patients with plasmacytoma (PC). Twelve patients with high-risk PC received ASCT in Finland 1994-2002. There were nine males and three females with a median age of 50 yr (32-64). Ten patients had a PC of bone, whereas two patients had extramedullary PCs. The median time from the diagnosis to ASCT was 9 months (5-100). At the time of ASCT six patients were in first complete remission (CR) or partial remission (PR), in four patients the disease was refractory to the first line therapy and two patients had relapsed. High-dose therapy consisted of melphalan (MEL)200 (n = 7), MEL200 x 2 (n = 3) or total body irradiation (TBI)-MEL140 (n = 2). No transplant-related deaths occurred. After ASCT eight patients (67%) were in CR, one patient in very good PR and one patient in PR; two patients were non-responders. With a median follow-up of 48 months from ASCT, 11 patients (92%) are alive. Six patients (50%) have relapsed or progressed 3-81 months from ASCT. ASCT is feasible in this patient population resulting in promising overall survival. A randomised trial is needed to assess the real value of ASCT when compared with other treatment options in patients with high-risk PC.