ABSTRACT
Background: Multiple myeloma (MM) is one of the most common malignancies found in hematology. Aim: To describe the features of patients with MM and perform a survival analysis according to the different treatment protocols used between 2000 and 2016. Material and Methods: Analysis of the database of the Chilean national anti-neoplastic drug program. Information was obtained from 1,103 patients, with a median age of 64.5 years (range 27-95) and a male to female ratio of 1:1.2. Results: The mean overall survival (OS) of patients receiving or not receiving Thalidomide was 46 and 30 months, respectively (p < 0.01). The mean OS of patients treated before 2007 (treated with melphalan and prednisone) and between 2007 and 2012 (treated with thalidomide and dexamethasone) was 36 and 48 months respectively. In the group starting in 2013 (treated with cyclophosphamide, thalidomide and dexamethasone) the median survival had not been reached at 20 months of follow up (p = 0.01 for all comparisons). Autologous transplantation (AT) was carried out in only 18% of the eligible patients. The median OS of the patients who receive an AT had not been reached at 48 month compared with 36 month among those who did not received the procedure (p < 0.01). Conclusions: Even though overall survival has improved with time, new drugs must be introduced in our protocols to obtain similar results to those obtained worldwide.