title: Low-dose thalidomide plus low-dose dexamethasone therapy in patients with refractory multiple myeloma.
abstract: We report the results of a non-randomized phase II study of low-dose thalidomide plus low-dose dexamethasone therapy in 66 patients with refractory multiple myeloma. The overall response rate (near complete, partial and minimal response) was 63.6%, and progression-free and overall survival periods were 6.2 and 25.4 months. In adverse events, the incidence of peripheral neuropathy and deep vein thrombosis was lower than the data reported in USA and Europe. On the other hand, leukopenia was observed in 41% of patients, including 11% of those with Grade 3. Leukopenia was closely related to pretreatment pancytopenia, especially thrombocytopenia. The incidence of adverse events related to dexamethasone was low. In conclusion, low-dose thalidomide plus low-dose dexamethasone therapy was as effective as high-dose thalidomide plus high-dose dexamethasone therapy in patients with refractory multiple myeloma. Leukopenia is one of the most serious adverse events in Japanese patients, especially in patients with pretreatment pancytopenia.
authors.affiliation: School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Gunma University, Gunma, Japan. hmura@health.gunma-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Hirokazu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Murakami
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Handa
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abe
authors.forename: Sinsuke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Iida
authors.forename: Akihiro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ishii
authors.forename: Takayuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ishikawa
authors.forename: Tadao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ishida
authors.forename: Masatsugu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Oota
authors.forename: Shuji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ozaki
authors.forename: Masaaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kosaka
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sakai
authors.forename: Morio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sawamura
authors.forename: Chihiro
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Shimazaki
authors.forename: Kazuyuki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shimizu
authors.forename: Toshiyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takagi
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hata
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fukuhara
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fujii
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Miyata
authors.forename: Toshio
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wakayama
authors.forename: Kiyoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takatsuki
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000633:toxicity; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007970:Leukopenia / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D012074:Remission Induction; D016879:Salvage Therapy / Q000379:methods; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013792:Thalidomide / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000633:toxicity; D020246:Venous Thrombosis / Q000209:etiology
chemical_list: D013792:Thalidomide; D003907:Dexamethasone