Continuous administration of low-dose cyclophosphamide and prednisone as a salvage treatment for multiple myeloma.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of continuous low-dose cyclophosphamide and prednisone (CP) as a salvage therapy for multiple myeloma (MM).


METHODS
A total of 27 consecutive patients with MM received a treatment regimen that consisted of oral cyclophosphamide 50 mg and prednisone 15 mg daily. Nineteen patients had severe comorbid conditions; 8 were unwilling to continue conventional chemotherapy as a result of severe infection associated with the conventional chemotherapy. Patients had received 1 to 4 chemotherapeutic regimens before the enrollment.


RESULTS
The overall response rate (complete remission, very good partial response, and partial response) was 66.7%. The median time to response was 2 months. In the patients who responded to the treatment, the median progression-free survival (PFS) has not been reached. In the nonresponding patients, the median PFS was 4 months.


CONCLUSIONS
Continuous low-dose CP is an effective and well-tolerated salvage therapy for MM.
Zhou
Fan
F
Shanghai Zhabei District Central Hospital, Shanghai, China.
Guo
Lieping
L
Shi
Haotian
H
Lin
Chenhui
C
Hou
Jian
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D011241:Prednisone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D016879:Salvage Therapy
D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D011241:Prednisone