Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation Is an Effective Salvage Therapy for Primary Refractory Multiple Myeloma

• One hundred twenty-six patients underwent autologous stem cell transplantation for primary refractory myeloma.
• At 100 days, the complete response and partial response rates were 21% and 74%, respectively.
• Median progression-free survival and overall survival were 18 and 51 months, respectively.
• Autologous stem cell transplantation is effective for multiple myeloma refractory to modern induction therapies.

High-dose therapy and autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) have proven efficacy in patients with multiple myeloma responding well to induction therapy. For those who fail to achieve a stable partial response (PR), the effect of ASCT is unclear. We report on 126 patients identified from a national database, who underwent ASCT having achieved