Overall survival by telomerase activity in patients with multiple myeloma. When TA was less than 25% of NB cell control, the estimated patient 2-year overall survival rate was 81%, and when TA was 25% or more of NB cell control, the estimated patient 2-year overall survival rate was 52% (P < .0001) (A). When divided into groups with newly diagnosed and relapsed disease, the patients in relapse whose MM cells had a TA of 25% or more the activity of NB control had a significantly shorter survival than patients with lower levels of TA (P = .01) (B). In the newly diagnosed group there was a trend to poorer survival in patients with higher TA than lower TA, but this did not reach statistical significance (P = .08) (C). Numbers in parentheses represent 95% confidence intervals.