Role of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation in Multiple Myeloma

High-dose therapy followed by autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) has been the standard frontline consolidative therapy for patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (MM) for > 2 decades. This approach has resulted in higher complete response (CR) rates and increased event-free survival and overall survival (OS) compared with conventional chemotherapy. The emergence of novel agent-based therapy combined with ASCT has revolutionized MM therapy by improving the CR rates and OS, raising questions concerning the role of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in this setting.