Relationship between prognosis of multiple myeloma and response to VCAP therapy

: We investigated the relationship between response in M-protein to VCAP therapy and survival duration in 50 multiple myeloma (MM) patients who survived for at least 6 months. The relationship between improvement of hemoglobin level as a response of VCAP therapy and survival duration was also assessed. The survival time in patients whose M-protein was reduced by 50% or more within 6 months after therapy was shorter than that in patients in whom the reduction of > or = 50% or more was obtained in more than 6 months. Patients with a hemoglobin level of 10 g/dl or higher before therapy survived significantly longer than those with a hemoglobin level of less than 10 g/dl. Among the patients with a hemoglobin level of less than 10 g/dl, patients in whom the hemoglobin level improved to 10 g/dl or higher survived for significantly longer duration than patients without improvement (p < 0.01). Patients in whom the hemoglobin level improved after more than 6 months survived form significantly longer duration than patients in whom hemoglobin level improved within 6 months. Therefore, it was considered that it was difficult to predict prognosis from the rate of decrease in M-protein in the early stage of treatment.