title: Treatment of AL amyloidosis with melphalan, prednisone, and colchicine.
abstract: Seven patients with immunoglobulin type (AL) amyloidosis were treated with combination chemotherapy, including melphalan, prednisone, and colchicine. Two patients died within 5 months of the beginning of therapy. Both had amyloid cardiomyopathy. Five patients were alive 17-60 months after the start of therapy, and none had shown progression of disease. The most significant findings were the resolution of the nephrotic syndrome in 2 patients, and improvement of liver function, as demonstrated by excretion of indocyanine green, in 2 patients. These results are encouraging and support the need for further studies of this regimen of combination chemotherapy for patients with AL amyloidosis.
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000682:Amyloid; D000686:Amyloidosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003078:Colchicine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008558:Melphalan / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011241:Prednisone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011379:Prognosis
chemical_list: D000682:Amyloid; C035222:amyloid protein AL; D008558:Melphalan; D003078:Colchicine; D011241:Prednisone