title: Multiple myeloma: VMCP/VBAP alternating combination chemotherapy is not superior to melphalan and prednisone even in high-risk patients.
abstract: The efficacy of alternating vincristine, melphalan (M), cyclophosphamide, prednisone/vincristine, carmustine, doxorubicin, and prednisone (VMCP/VBAP) polychemotherapy was compared with the M and prednisone (MP) regimen as induction treatment in multiple myeloma (MM). Three hundred four MM patients entered this study between March 1983 and July 1986; the analysis was performed in December 1989. The treatment groups did not show significant differences with respect to major prognostic factors. Median overall survival was 33.8 months. In the VMCP/VBAP and MP arms, after 12 induction chemotherapy cycles, 59.0% and 47.3% (P less than .068) of the patients achieved an M component reduction greater than 50%. No significant difference was observed in the two treatment arms in terms of remission duration (21.3 v 19.6 months, P less than .66) and survival (31.6 v 37.0 months, P less than .28). Patients younger than 65 years did not show any advantage from the alternating polychemotherapy. At diagnosis, the plasma cell labeling index (LI) and serum beta-2 microglobulin (beta 2-m) were evaluated in 173 and 183 patients, respectively. A significantly reduced survival was observed for patients with LI greater than or equal to 2% (16.4 months) or beta 2-m greater than or equal to 6 mg/L (20.4 months). Even in these poor-risk subgroups, VMCP/VBAP was not superior to MP.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina ed Oncologia sperimentale, Cattedra di Ematologia, Torino, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Boccadoro
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Marmont
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tribalto
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Avvisati
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Andriani
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Barbui
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cantonetti
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Carotenuto
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Comotti
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dammacco
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002330:Carmustine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008558:Melphalan / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008875:Middle Aged; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D011241:Prednisone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011379:Prognosis; D014750:Vincristine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin; D014750:Vincristine; D004317:Doxorubicin; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D008558:Melphalan; D002330:Carmustine; D011241:Prednisone