Preliminary study on the treatment of newly diagnosed multiple myeloma with thalidomide combined with chemotherapy / 中国癌症杂志

ABSTRACT

Purpose:To observe the effect of thalidomide combined with chemotherapy in the treatment of newly diagnosed multiple myeloma. Methods:34 patients were divided into two groups at random. 14 cases in the treated group were initially administered thalidomide at doses ranging from 100mg~200 mg/d,and the dosage was escalated by 100mg~200 mg every two weeks until patients could not tolerate the treatment.The maximal dose did not exceed 600mg/d.MP or M 2 protocol was delivered to those patients in the treated group concomitantly.20 cases in the control group received chemotherapy consisting of MP or M 2 protocol only.Evaluation of 3-months effective(partial remission plus progress)rate,one-year event free survival and two-years overall survival was done in both groups. Results:3-months effective rate is 85.7% in the treated group and 60% in control group.One-year EFS is 71.4% in the treated group while that in the control group is 35%.Two-years OS are 57.1% and 25% respectively.The side effects of thalidomide are tolerable,and constipation is the most common. Conclusions:The combination of thalidomide and chemotherapy is an effective treatment for newly diagnosed MM,and it demonstrates an improvement in effective rate,one-year EFS and two-years OS.