Effect of the manner of the response to chemotherapy on the prognosis of myeloma. Preliminary study
Bataille, R.; Morlock, G.; Sany, J.; Blotman, F.; Simon, L.
Revue du Rhumatisme et des Maladies Osteo-Articulaires 48(5): 413-418
1981
ISSN/ISBN: 0035-2659 PMID: 7256151 Document Number: 178453
The tumor mass regression following the first course of treatment (T1), the time to greater than or equal to 50% tumor regression (TR 50%) and the time to maximum regression (t) were assessed in 29 out of 55 multiple myelomas (MM) successfully treated with alkylating agents. According to t, TR 50% and T1 values, 3 distinctive categories of responsive patients were separated: 1) fast responsive patients (= t less than or equal to 2 months, 48% of cases); 2) intermediate responsive patients (= 3 less than t or 12 months, 38%); 3) and slow responsive patients (= t greater than 12 months, 14%). The first remission duration was shown to be highly related to t (p less than .001), TR 50% (p less than .01) and T1 (p less than .05), the shortest remissions being observed in fast responsive patients. In relapse, the tumor doubling time (TD) was correlated with t, TR 50% and T1 (p = .05), the shortest TD being observed in fast responsive patients. It was shown that pure Bence-Jones and hypercalcemic myelomas were the fastest responsive patients.