Role of the assay of serum beta 2 microglobulin in the clinical evaluation of myeloma
Bataille, R.; Grenier, J.
Presse Medicale 15(34): 1723-1725
1986
ISSN/ISBN: 0755-4982 PMID: 2947132 Document Number: 271223
The survival of individual patients with multiple myeloma ranging from a few weeks to several years, careful pretreatment evaluation of prognostic factors is extremely important. Several methods of stratification are available, but in spite of their validity they present a number of problems, particularly with regard to their inter-reproducibility. In addition, they are of no help to evaluate response to chemotherapy, quality of remission, plateau phase or kinetics of relapse. Recent studies have clearly demonstrated that serum beta-2 microglobulin, as a single variable, is the best individual determinant as a prognostic marker in multiple myeloma. Using this assay and serum albumin as prognostic determinants, a simple stratification, superior to the three previously available methods, was developed. Serum beta-2 microglobulin is a very useful marker in the follow-up of most multiple myeloma patients. It appears to be a key measurement for assessing the prognosis and response to treatment of these patients.