Effect of Obesity on Outcomes after Autologous Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (Auto HCT) for Multiple Myeloma (MM): An Analysis from the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research (CIBMTR)

Background: Obesity is increasing in prevalence worldwide and has potential implications on chemotherapy dosing and selection of patients for therapy. Auto HCT improves outcomes for patients with MM, but optimal chemotherapy dosing for obese patients is poorly defined. Methods: We identified 1087 patients reported to the CIBMTR between 1995 and 2003 who underwent auto HCT for MM as part of initial therapy, defined as within 18 months of diagnosis, and received high-dose melphalan conditioning, with or without total body irradiation (TBI). We categorized patients by body mass index (BMI) as normal (18.5– 24.9), overweight (25–29.9), obese (30–34.9), or severely obese (≥35). Underweight patients (BMI