Advances in the treatment of multiple myeloma: survival analysis of 560 patients in a twenty- five years period in a single center

BACKGROUND: Therapy of multiple myeloma (MM) has been greatly advanced by introduction of autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT) in 90’s, and appearance of new potent drugs thalidomide, bortezomib and lenalidomide in the last decade. AIMS: to assess the efficacy of new treatment modalities on survival of MM patients treated at the University Hospital Center, Zagreb. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From 1985 till 2010, 560 consecutive MM patients (pts) were analyzed. Median age at diagnosis was 60 (range 28-89) years. Pts were divided into three groups according to time period of available treatment modalities: Group one treated from 1985-1995, period prior AHSCT (n=158, median age 63 [range: 31-87]) ; group two treated from 1996- 2001, period with AHSCT (n=139, median age 58 [range: 29-87]) ; and group three treated from 2002-2010, period with AHSCT+bortezomib+thalidomide (n=263, median age 60 [range: 28-89]). Each group was subdivided in two subgroups according to age at diagnosis indicating eligibility for AHSCT (