Response to interferon therapy in patients with multiple myeloma correlates with expression of the Bcl-2 oncoprotein.
The expression of the Bcl-2 oncoprotein was studied in pre-treatment bone-marrow samples from 63 patients with multiple myeloma, using an immunohistochemistry technique. A variable expression of the Bcl-2 protein was found in myeloma cells. 43% of the patients had strong expression of the Bcl-2 protein in the malignant cells. Forty patients received alpha-interferon, whereas 23 patients received melphalan/prednisone therapy. A significant association (p = 0.012) was found between high levels of Bcl-2 expression in myeloma cells and resistance to interferon therapy. No such correlation was found in the melphalan/prednisone treated patients. The data indicate that over-expression of Bcl-2 may be a cause for resistance to interferon therapy in myeloma and that staining for Bcl-2 expression in myeloma cells may have a predictive value for this treatment.
Sangfelt
O
O
Institution of Oncology/Pathology, Karolinska Hospital and Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.
Osterborg
A
A
Grandér
D
D
Anderbring
E
E
Ost
A
A
Mellstedt
H
H
Einhorn
S
S
D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008558:Melphalan / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D011241:Prednisone / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2
D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D008558:Melphalan; D011241:Prednisone