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Gentle yet effective treatment for elderly patients with refractory or relapsing multiple myeloma
Author(s) -
Manoharan Arumugam
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
american journal of hematology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.456
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1096-8652
pISSN - 0361-8609
DOI - 10.1002/1096-8652(200009)65:1<81::aid-ajh15>3.0.co;2-j
Subject(s) - medicine , melphalan , prednisolone , refractory (planetary science) , cyclophosphamide , vindesine , vincristine , multiple myeloma , chemotherapy , surgery , gastroenterology , physics , astrobiology
Abstract Fourteen patients, aged 65–85 years, with refractory (11) or relapsing (3) multiple myeloma were treated with a “protracted‐sequential” protocol comprising vincristine 1–2 mg or vindesine 3 mg/M 2 (max. 5 mg) IVI over 4 hr on D1, prednisolone 40–50 mg PO D1–14, and melphalan 2–4 mg PO or cyclophosphamide 50–100 mg PO D15–28; cycles were repeated at 4–6 weekly intervals. Treatment was continued for 12 months if the response was optimal or indefinitely if the response was suboptimal. Five patients responded optimally; their survival from the commencement of this protocol ranged from 30 to 120 months. The other nine patients achieved a partial response, their survival ranging from 4+ to 79 months. The treatment is simple, nontoxic, and as convenient as the “classic combination” of melphalan and prednisolone. Am. J. Hematol. 65:81–82, 2000. © 2000 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.