Early Relapse Post Autologous Transplantation Is Associated With Very Poor Survival And Identifies An Ultra High Risk Group Of Myeloma Patients

Treatment with high dose melphalan (HDM) and autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) improves progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) of myeloma patients and is a standard therapy for eligible patients. Furthermore, the use of maintenance therapy after ASCT is beneficial. However, a subset of patients relapses early after HDM, and there is a paucity of data about their outcomes and characteristics, especially regarding their identification at diagnosis or early in the course of the disease. The aim of the current study was to describe the characteristics, the management and outcomes of patients relapsing within 12 months from HDM.