Abstract
BACKGROUND: The aim of this study is to evaluate the prognostic impact of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) in multiple myeloma (MM) in the context of autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT). METHODS: Peripheral blood samples were collected for measuring monocytic (M-) MDSCs (CD14(pos)HLA-DR(low/neg)) and early-stage (E-) MDSCs (Lin(neg)HLA-DR(neg)CD33(pos)CD11b(pos)) before and after ASCT. Clinical outcomes following ASCT differed according to the frequency of each MDSC phenotype. RESULTS: In the pre-ASCT analyses, lower M-MDSCs (