Primary treatment with pulsed melphalan, dexamethasone and thalidomide for elderly symptomatic patients with multiple myeloma
Dimopoulos, M.A.; Anagnostopoulos, A.; Terpos, E.; Repoussis, P.; Zomas, A.; Katodritou, E.; Kyrtsonis, M.Christine.; Delibasi, S.; Vassou, A.; Pouli, A.; Zervas, K.; Anagnostopoulos, N.; Maniatis, A.
Haematologica 91(2): 252-254
2006
ISSN/ISBN: 0390-6078 PMID: 16461313 Document Number: 597279
Fifty patients with multiple myeloma >= 75 years of age received primary treatment with melphalan (M) 8 mg/m(2) on days 1-4, dexamethasone (D) 12 mg/m(2) on days 1-4 and 17-20 and thalidomide (T) 300 mg at bedtime on days 1-4 and 17-20. This regimen was repeated every 5 weeks for three courses. Patients without evidence of disease progression received nine additional courses of MDT, but without DT on days 17-20, every 5 weeks. Sixty-two percent of patients achieved a partial response and 10% a complete response. The median time to response was 2 months. The median time to progression for all patients was 21.2 months. Deep venous thrombosis and peripheral neuropathy each occurred in 9% of patients.