Abstract
Abstract 1509
Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT) is an essential modality in the management of younger, newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (MM) patients. Some reports have indicated inferior survival for African-American (AA) patients following diagnosis of MM, when compared to Caucasian (Ca) patients. We hypothesized that previously claimed racial differences in outcome may reflect disparity in access to care and might be negated by timely, standard, and uniform treatment.
We reviewed a mature database of MM patients undergoing AHSCT at a single institution to describe and compare overall survival from diagnosis and from transplantation in AA and Ca patients. Additionally, we described time from diagnosis to transplantation in both cohorts as an additional surrogate of access to care.
Between August 1996 and July 2010, 128 patients underwent a first AHSCT for MM at the institution. Fifty-three patients (41%) were AA and 75 (59%) were Ca. Median age at the time of diagnosis was 54.7 years for AA and 58.3 for Ca. Sixty-six (52%) of patients were female. One hundred twenty-six (98%) patients received conditioning chemotherapy with Melphalan 200 mg/m2. Median interval from diagnosis to transplant was 10 months (IQR 7.1–15.9) for AA and 9.2 months (IQR 6.7–15.6) for Ca (p=0.23). Median overall survival for the entire group was 63 months (95% C.I. 51–76) from time of diagnosis and 51.8 months (95% C.I. 39–63) from AHSCT. There was no difference in overall survival from time of AHSCT between AA and Ca, respectively 62.6 (95% C.I. 30.9–94.4) and 51.8 months (95% C.I. 33.5–70.3, Log-rank test P=0.76). Similarly, no significant difference was seen in overall survival from time of diagnosis between AA and Ca, respectively 70.4 (95% C.I. 29.6–111.3) and 59.3 months (95% C.I. 46.8–71.8), as displayed in the Figure (Log-rank test P=0.36).
These findings suggest that previously reported differences in outcome between AA and CA patients with MM are related to disparities in access to healthcare and not intrinsic biological differences.
No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
