RESUMO
A total of 65 patients (35 male/30 female) with multiple myeloma primarily (33) or secondarily (32) resistant to melphalan and prednisone were treated with vincristine, carmustine (BCNU), doxorubicin, and high-dose dexamethasone (VBAD) at 4-week intervals. Among 60 evaluable patients the overall response was 36.6% (21.6% objective response plus 15% improvements). The response rate was significantly higher in primarily resistant patients than in those becoming resistant after a prior response (48.4 vs. 24.1%, P < 0.05). The median duration of response was 17.5 months. When survival of responders and non-responders were compared by the conventional method, a highly significant difference was observed (P < 0.001). However, using the Mantel and Byar procedure and the landmark method, only a trend for longer survival in the responders was registered. These results indicate that although VBAD is effective in at least one third of patients with advanced multiple myeloma resistant to melphalan, its impact on survival is limited.
Assuntos
Protocolos de Quimioterapia Combinada Antineoplásica/uso terapêutico , Mieloma Múltiplo/tratamento farmacológico , Carmustina/administração & dosagem , Dexametasona/administração & dosagem , Doxorrubicina/administração & dosagem , Resistência a Medicamentos , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Melfalan/uso terapêutico , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Prognóstico , Análise de Sobrevida , Vincristina/administração & dosagemRESUMO
Between January 1985 and December 1988, 386 patients with multiple myeloma were randomized to receive either MP or combination chemotherapy based on alternating cycles of VCMP and VBAP. The major prognostic parameters did not differ significantly between both treatment groups. A significantly higher proportion of objective responses was observed with combination chemotherapy as compared to MP (47.8 vs 32.2, P = 0.01). The median survival for all patients was 33.5 months. So far no significant differences were found when comparing the survival curves from both groups of patients. However, the median survival of MP-treated patients is 26.8 months, whereas the median survival of patients receiving VCMP/VBAP has not yet been reached. The definitive analysis must await the evaluation of all patients entered into the study and a longer follow-up time.
