Salvage autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (auto-HSCT) constitutes a therapeutic option for a group of well-selected patients with relapsed multiple myeloma (MM). However, if an insufficient number of stem cells were harvested and stored before the first auto-HSCT, stem cells need to be remobilized. Patients diagnosed with MM who following relapse after auto-HSCT, had remobilization and afterward, auto-HSCT with remobilized cells were included in this retrospective analysis. Thirty-three patients, 61% males, the median age 61 years, were included. With a median follow-up of 1.8 years, 2-year progression-free survival was 56.2%, non-relapse mortality 4.8%. The 2-year cumulative incidence of t-MDS was 4.9%. Factors important for the outcome were: the quality of response, previous radiotherapy, the time between the first and salvage auto-HSCT. To conclude, salvage auto-HSCT performed with cells procured after the previous auto-HSCT can be efficacious in relapsed MM, especially if a sufficiently long response had been obtained to the first auto-HSCT(s).
Keywords: Relapse; autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation; mobilization; multiple myeloma.