The characteristics of patients with multiple myeloma surviving over 10 years

To explore the characteristics of patients with multiple myeloma (MM) who have achieved long-term survival of over 10 years in the context where novel agents and autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) serve as the primary therapeutic modalities.

A retrospective analysis was conducted on 168 MM patients diagnosed and treated in our institution from January 2004 to January 2014. 44 patients with a survival period exceeding 10 years were categorized into the long-term survival group, while 124 patients with a survival period of less than 10 years were categorized into the non-long-term survival group.

Being younger than 57 years old (OR 3.634, 95%CI 1.302-10.143), having a neutrophil count of at least 3.66 * 10⁹/L (OR 3.122, 95% CI 1.093-8.918), absence of high-risk genetic abnormalities (OR 7.146, 95%CI 1.066-47.904), and receiving frontline ASCT (OR 4.225, 95%CI 1.000-17.841) were positively associated with a survival period exceeding 10 years in patients with MM. Achieving sustained minimal residual disease (MRD) negativity for at least 24 months is associated with long-term survival regardless of the presence of high-risk cytogenetic abnormalities.

Being younger, having a neutrophil count above 3.66 * 10⁹/L, the absence of high-risk cytogenetic abnormalities, and receiving frontline ASCT are independent protective factors for transplant-eligible MM patients to survive more than 10 years. Achieving maintained MRD negativity status for over 24 months might be associated with long-term survival.