Seoul St. Mary's Hospital study finds stem cell transplants effective for elderly myeloma patients

A study conducted by researchers at Seoul St. Mary's Hospital suggests that age alone should not be a reason to exclude patients aged 65 to 69 from autologous stem cell transplantation for multiple myeloma. Analyzing data from 735 patients diagnosed between 2017 and 2024, the research team found that those who underwent transplantation had a four-year survival rate of 67.8%, compared to 55.0% for those who did not.

The transplant group also showed a 38% lower risk of death and a longer period before requiring subsequent treatment, averaging 29.8 months compared to 19.7 months in the non-transplant group.

Regarding economic impact, while the transplant group incurred approximately 29.9 million KRW more in medical costs, the study confirmed the procedure's cost-effectiveness. The increase in Quality-Adjusted Life Years (QALY) was 0.71 years, with an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of approximately 42.4 million KRW, which falls below the established domestic threshold of 52.4 million KRW. The researchers noted that South Korea's relatively lower transplantation costs compared to countries like the United States contribute to this cost-effectiveness.