The t(11;14)(q13;q32) translocation as a poor prognostic parameter for autologous stem cell transplantation in myeloma patients with extramedullary plasmacytoma.

INTRODUCTION: Fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH)-detected abnormalities, including del(17p), del(13q), and t(4;14), have been associated with inferior prognosis. However, there are few data about the prognostic significance of cytogenetic abnormalities for autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) in multiple myeloma (MM) patients with extramedullary plasmacytoma (EMP).

PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between April 2004 and December 2012, 290 MM patients underwent ASCT at 3 centers. FISH data for bone marrow samples obtained at diagnosis were available for 58 patients who had EMP at diagnosis or during treatment.

RESULTS: The t(11;14), t(4;14), del(13q), and 1q gain abnormalities were seen in 14.9%, 6.3%, 25.6%, and 42.9%, respectively. No t(14;16) or del(17p) cytogenetic abnormality was detected in the examined patients. Patients with t(11;14) had a lower response rate compared to patients with other cytogenetic abnormalities. EMP-specific relapse was higher in patients with t(11;14) than in patients with other cytogenetic abnormalities (42.9% vs. 10%-33.3%). Each of the 4 cytogenetic abnormalities predicted shorter median progression-free survival (6-12 months vs. 27-37 months) and shorter overall survival (16-22 months vs. 68 months or not reached) compared to no cytogenetic abnormality. The t(11;14) translocation was an important prognostic factor for both progression-free survival (hazard ratio, 25.154; P < .001) and overall survival (hazard ratio, 7.484; P = .024) in the multivariate analysis.

CONCLUSION: In the current study, t(11;14), t(4;14), del(13q), and 1q gain were associated with worse survival in MM patients with EMP. The role of t(11;14) as a prognostic parameter for ASCT in MM patients with EMP should be confirmed with a large, well-designed study.