Long-term follow-up of IgM monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance.

The current study was conducted to determine the risk of adverse outcomes among patients with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) of the IgM class. Two hundred thirteen patients with IgM MGUS were identified in southeastern Minnesota from 1960 to 1994. The primary end point was progression to lymphoma or a related disorder assessed by the Kaplan-Meier method. Patients were followed for a total of 1,567 person-years (median, 6.3 years per subject). Seventeen patients developed lymphoma (relative risk [RR], 14.8) and six progressed to Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia (RR, 262), while three developed primary amyloidosis (RR, 16.3) and three others had chronic lymphocytic leukemia (RR, 5.7). The relative risk of progression was 16-fold higher in the IgM MGUS patients compared to the white population of the Iowa Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program. The risk of progression of MGUS of IgM type to lymphoma or related disorders averaged 1.5% per year throughout the period of observation.

A high bone marrow plasma cell labeling index in stable plateau-phase multiple myeloma is a marker for early disease progression and death.

The plasma cell labeling index (PCLI) is a measure of plasma cell proliferative activity and is an important prognostic factor in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (MM). Occasionally patients have been observed with stable, plateau phase MM with minimal numbers of residual light-chain-restricted monoclonal plasma cells, but a high PCLI. No data are available on the outcomes for such patients. Data from 57 patients with plateau phase MM and a marrow PCLI of more than 1.0% were compared with 105 matched control patients with MM with a marrow PCLI of less than 1.0%. All patients had less than 10% total plasma cells on marrow aspirate and biopsy. The median time to progression and overall survival were 8 months and 20 months, respectively, in the high PCLI group versus 39 months and 56 months, respectively, in the low PCLI group (P < .0001). These findings suggest that a high PCLI in patients with apparently stable, plateau phase MM is an adverse parameter that may predict a short time to disease progression and death.

Coital risk factors for cervical cancer. Sexual activity among white middle class women.

This study reports the sexual history of a group of young women participating in an epidemiologic project. The methods used to recruit and interview the participants minimized self-selection bias. Results of over 11,000 interviews with 1,892 participants showed that 72.3% should be considered at high risk for developing cervical cancer and its precursors and should be screened regularly for this disease.

High-dose methotrexate with a safe rescue program.

23 patients with osteogenic sarcoma were observed during 142 6-hour high-dose infusions of methotrexate (MTX, 3,000--8,200 mg/m2). Calcium leukovorin was given by intravenous injection at 3-hour intervals beginning 2 h after the completion of each MTX infusion with extension of the intervals to 6 h following the first day of rescue. All patients also received continuous intravenous infusions of alkalinized fluids for the entire duration of leukovorin rescue. No larger doses of leukovorin were given to any patient. Three of the 142 MTX infusions resulted in mild cytotoxic side effects. Plasma MTX clearance ranged from 90 to 600 ml/min among the 62 infusions where plasma clearance could be accurately calculated. The 3 patients with mild toxicity had low drug clearance, but others with similar low MTX clearance experienced no apparent toxic effects beyond the expected transient nausea.