For survival, the emergence of oligoclonal bands after multiple myeloma treatment is less important than achieving complete remission.

Background: The emergence of oligoclonal bands, proteins differing from those originally identified at diagnosis, has been reported in multiple myeloma patients after high-dose chemotherapy followed by autologous stem cell transplantation and after successful conventional chemotherapy. The clinical relevance of oligoclonal bands remains unclear, but their emergence has been associated with better prognosis. The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence, clinical characteristics and prognostic impact of the presence of oligoclonal bands in multiple myeloma patients.