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Syngeneic Transplantation in Multiple Myeloma<br />

G. Gahrton, H. Svensson, B. Bjôrkstr<strong>and</strong>, J. Apperley, K. Car<br />

M. Cavo, A. Ferrant, L Fouillard, N. Gratecos, A. Gratwoh<br />

F. Guilhot, G. Lambertenghi Deliliers, P. Ljungman, T.<br />

D.W. Milligan, R.L. Powles, J. Reiffers, D. Samson, AM. S<br />

J.P. Vernant, L Volin, J. Wallvik, for the European Grou<br />

Blood <strong>and</strong> Marrow Transplantation<br />

Departments of Hematology <strong>and</strong> Medicine, Karolinska Institute, <strong>and</strong><br />

Huddinge University Hospital, Huddinge, Sweden<br />

ABSTRACT<br />

Syngeneic <strong>transplantation</strong> is an option for very few patients with multiple<br />

myeloma. Among more than 2500 transplants in the EBMT registry, only 25 were<br />

syngeneic. A case-matched comparison of these 25 transplants with 125<br />

<strong>autologous</strong> <strong>and</strong> 125 allogeneic transplants was recently performed. Seventeen<br />

(68%) of the patients receiving twin transplants entered a complete remission<br />

following <strong>transplantation</strong> compared to 48% of those who received <strong>autologous</strong><br />

transplants <strong>and</strong> 58% of those who received allotransplants. The median survival<br />

<strong>and</strong> progression-free survival for the transplants were 73 <strong>and</strong> 72 months, respectively.<br />

Overall survival was significantly better than for <strong>autologous</strong> transplants<br />

(median 44 months) <strong>and</strong> allogeneic transplants (median 16 months). Progressionfree<br />

survival was significantly better with syngeneic transplants than with either<br />

<strong>autologous</strong> transplants (median 25 months) or allotransplants (median 9 months).<br />

Transplant-related mortality was low; nly two patients died of transplant-related<br />

causes at the time of follow-up. The relapse rate was significantly lower than for<br />

<strong>autologous</strong> transplants <strong>and</strong> similar to the relapse rate in allogeneic transplants.<br />

Only three of the patients who entered complete remission had relapsed at the time<br />

of follow-up. Syngeneic <strong>transplantation</strong> in multiple myeloma appears to be the<br />

treatment of choice if a twin donor is available. A lower relapse risk compared<br />

with <strong>autologous</strong> <strong>transplantation</strong> may be due to infusion of malignant cells in the<br />

<strong>autologous</strong> setting or to the presence of a graft-vs.-myeloma effect in syngeneic<br />

transplants.<br />

INTRODUCTION<br />

Myeloma is a disorder characterized by a median survival of less than 3 years<br />

using conventional chemotherapy. 1<br />

Autologous <strong>transplantation</strong> has been shown to<br />

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