title: [Clinical trial of alpha-interferon (human lymphoblastoid interferon) in combination with VCAP chemotherapy in multiple myeloma].
abstract: We compared the effect of combined natural interferon-alpha (HLBI)/VCAP chemotherapy with VCAP chemotherapy alone on multiple myeloma. Sixteen previously untreated patients with multiple myeloma were treated with a combination of IFN-alpha and VCAP chemotherapy; nine of them were treated with HLBI-VCAP (I) regimen (HLBI 3 x 10(6) units/day, daily, 56 days) only for induction chemotherapy, and seven with continuous HLBI-VCAP (II) regimen (HLBI 3 x 10(6) units/day, twice a week) both for induction and maintenance chemotherapy. Thirty-one control patients were treated with a VCAP regimen only. HLBI-VCAP (II) regimen exhibited an 85.7% (6/7) response rate, while VCAP and HLBI-VCAP (I) regimen showed 74.2% (23/31) and 77.8% (7/9) response rates, respectively. The median duration of survival was 43 months in the control group, greater than 44 months in HLBI-VCAP (I) group and greater than 45 months in HLBI-VCAP (II) group. No significant difference in survival duration has yet been observed between the VCAP group and HLBI-VCAP groups. We conclude that continuous, long-term combination therapy with HLBI and VCAP regimen for induction and maintenance therapy may be most effective, and found that intensive HLBI-VCAP regimen, for only remission induction therapy, was not more effective than VCAP regimen alone.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Internal Medicine, Toho University School of Medicine.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Umeda
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shirai
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tsukahara
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kaneko
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamauchi
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Arai
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kosuge
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shikoshi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Anno
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000628:therapy*; D011241:Prednisone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012074:Remission Induction; D014750:Vincristine / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D007370:Interferon Type I; D014750:Vincristine; D004317:Doxorubicin; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D011241:Prednisone