The t(4;14) is associated with poor prognosis in myeloma patients undergoing autologous stem cell transplant

Summary The frequency and prognostic relevance of translocations t(11;14) and t(4;14), the most common translocations involving the immunoglobulin heavy chain (IgH) gene in multiple myeloma (MM), were investigated in 128 patients treated with intensive chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplant. Myeloma cells were identified by cytoplasmic light chain immunofluorescence combined with fluorescence in situ hybridization (cIg‐FISH) for detection of translocations t(11;14) and t(4;14). Overall, t(11;14) was detected in 16 of 125 (12·8%) and t(4;14) in 15 of 120 (12·5%) patients. Progression‐free and overall survivals were similar for patients with or without t(11;14). However, patients with t(4;14) had significantly shorter progression‐free (median 9·9 months vs. 25·8 months; P = 0·0003) and overall survivals (median 18·3 months vs. 48·1 months; P