title: [Role of the assay of serum beta 2 microglobulin in the clinical evaluation of myeloma].
abstract: 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.
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000097:blood* / Q000401:mortality; D011379:Prognosis; D013997:Time Factors; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin
vernacular_title: La place du dosage de la bêta-2-microglobuline sérique dans l'évaluation clinique du myélome.