title: Prognosis in monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance.
abstract: Eighty-seven patients with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) were followed for a period of 1-20 years, median 91 months. Transformation to multiple myeloma occurred in 14 patients of whom seven died as a consequence of the disease. There were 13 unrelated deaths. The actuarial probability of survival was 80% at 10 years and 44% at 15 years and the probabilities of malignant conversion for the same periods were 17% and 30% respectively. The most significant factor influencing the probability of malignant conversion was the increase of monoclonal protein above the level of 30 g/l during the observation period (P<0.001), followed by an increase of M-protein to more than 50% above the baseline level (P=0.02) and a decreased level of uninvolved immunoglobulins (P=0.054).
authors.affiliation: Department of Haematology, Health Centre Split, Split University Hospital, Croatia.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vuckovic
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ilic
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Knezevic
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marinkovic
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zemunik
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dubravcic
mesh_terms: D064211:Connectin; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000401:mortality; D009124:Muscle Proteins; D009194:Myeloma Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D010265:Paraproteinemias / Q000401:mortality*; D011379:Prognosis; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: D064211:Connectin; D009124:Muscle Proteins; D009194:Myeloma Proteins; C085016:multiple myeloma M-proteins