[deeceebee123Participant]

Hi. Recently diagnosed with MM. the consultant hasn’t put me through for stem cell transplant due to the fact I have atrial fibrillation. I was getting afib episodes once every couple of months lasting 2-3 days. This diagnosis has sent it a bit mad but is calming again.
The echocardiogram I had shows there’s little if anything wrong with my heart just the afib. Is this reason enough not to be offered stem cell transplantation

[rabbitParticipant]

Hi deeceebee123,

I have MM and had two heart issues. One of those issues was afib: in my case, I had an operation which cured me of afib. Even so, due to the other heart condition, my cardiologist, haemotologist and I discussed the situation and decided that it would be best for me not to have a stem cell transplant.

A stem cell transplant can be grueling, and a dodgy heart is not a good starting point.

In addition, chemo treatments have been improving: the case for MM patients having a transplant is weakening as a result.

Lastly, I came across this study of MM patients with afib having transplants. The hard statistics from this is that it is significantly higher risk for afib patients than otgers: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10198774/

Please, though, don’t lose heart (pardon the pun!). As a small example, I am still going strong, 2 years and 3 months after diagnosis, in remission since June 2023. Went to the gym this afternoon, and off on holiday next week 😀.

Regards
Rabbit

[deeceebee123Participant]

Really good to hear. Thank you for your reply means a lot.

[williams34Participant]

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common and significant concern in multiple myeloma patients, especially around the time of autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT). Studies show that AF can occur in up to 27% of MM patients after ASCT, often within the first few weeks, and is linked to factors like baseline heart function, kidney health, and hypertension

. While your echocardiogram shows little structural heart disease, AF itself increases the risk of complications during transplantation.

Because ASCT carries a higher risk of cardiovascular events, including AF, many doctors carefully assess heart health before recommending it
. Your history of AF episodes-even if infrequent-may lead your consultant to be cautious, as AF can worsen with the stress of transplant and conditioning treatments, potentially impacting your safety and outcomes

.

That said, decisions about ASCT are individualized. If your AF is well-controlled and your overall cardiac function is good, some centers may still consider transplant with close monitoring and preventive strategies. It’s important to discuss with your hematologist and cardiologist about managing AF risks and whether ASCT can be safely pursued in your case.

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