title: Maintenance therapy with alpha-interferon following first-line VAD in multiple myeloma.
abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate the response characteristics of vincristine, adriamycin and dexamethasone (VAD) as a first-line chemotherapy and to determine the efficacy of maintenance alpha-interferon (alpha-IFN) in multiple myeloma (MM). Between January 1985 and December 1994, a prospective trial was performed in stage II and III MM patients. The study population received only VAD with no maintenance therapy before 1990 (n=31), and those recruited after 1990 (n=33) were planned to be maintained with alpha-IFN (5 mU, 3 times per wk) during the plateau to a maximum of 2 yr. Median follow-up duration (44 vs. 39 months), time to response (3.4 vs. 3.5 months) and rate of objective response (61.3%, 19/31 and 63.6%, 21/33) were similar in VAD-only and VAD+IFN groups, respectively. The survival analyses revealed higher median progression-free (39.6 vs. 12 months) and overall survival (65+ vs. 24 months) durations in VAD+IFN group compared to VAD-only group. VAD regimen was well tolerated and IFN-related side effects were reversible. These findings denote that IFN maintenance prolongs the duration of response obtained by VAD.
authors.affiliation: Hacettepe University Institute of Oncology, Department of Medical Oncology, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kars
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Celik
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kansu
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tekuzman
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ozişik
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Güler
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Barişta
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Güllü
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yalçin
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Altundağ
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zengin
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Türker
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hayran
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Baltali
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Firat
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003907:Dexamethasone; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013997:Time Factors; D014750:Vincristine / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014750:Vincristine; D003907:Dexamethasone; D004317:Doxorubicin