title: Intensive chemotherapy with combinations containing anthracyclines for refractory and relapsing multiple myeloma. Finnish Leukaemia Group.
abstract: 94 patients with refractory multiple myeloma were treated in a multicentre trial with combinations of cytotoxic drugs including anthracyclines. All were refractory to a 5-drug combination containing 3 alkylating agents, vincristine and methylprednisolone (MOCCA). With a combination of epirubicin and iphosphamide a 50% response was achieved in 9% of 22 patients. The response rate after schedule VAP (vincristine, doxorubicin and prednisolone) was 8% of 13 patients and that after schedule VAD (vincristine, doxorubicin and dexamethasone) 20% of 59 patients. The previous chemotherapy had lasted for less than 12 months in 13 cases from among all these patients, and 5 of these (38%) responded. In contrast, there were only 10 responders (12%) among the 81 patients with longer previous chemotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Hatanpää Hospital, Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: I P
authors.initials: IP
authors.lastname: Palva
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ahrenberg
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ala Harja
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Almqvist
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Elonen
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hallman
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hänninen
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ilvonen
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Isomaa
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jouppila
mesh_terms: D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D015251:Epirubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007069:Ifosfamide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D015337:Multicenter Studies as Topic; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012008:Recurrence; D014750:Vincristine / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D015251:Epirubicin; D014750:Vincristine; D003907:Dexamethasone; D004317:Doxorubicin; D011239:Prednisolone; D007069:Ifosfamide