Long-term outcome of patients with AL amyloidosis treated with high-dose melphalan and stem-cell transplantation

Long-term survival and outcome were determined for 80 patients with immunoglobulin light chain (AL) amyloidosis treated with high-dose melphalan and stem cell transplantation (HDM/SCT) more than 10 years ago. Seventeen (21%) patients died within the first year of treatment, of treatment-related complications (14%) or progressive disease (8%). Of the 63 surviving evaluable patients at one year, 32 (51%) achieved a complete hematologic response (CR). For all 80 patients, the median survival was 57 months (4.75 yrs). The median survival exceeds 10 years for patients achieving a CR after HDM/SCT, compared with 50 months for those not achieving a CR (P < .001). In conclusion, HDM/SCT leads to durable remissions and prolonged survival, particularly for those patients who achieve a hematologic CR.