Untreated twenty patients of
multiple myeloma were treated with the
chemotherapy protocol as follows: Initial induction
therapy;MP continuous or MP intermittent----IFN alpha----
steroid pulse. Maintenance
therapy;
alkylating agents which have no cross resistance were used ((V) MP----(MP)----(V) EP----
MCNU). Remission rate (CR+PR) after the initial MP
therapy was 45%, and that after including IFN alpha and
steroid pulse
therapy was 50%, Fifty percent survival rate was almost as same as those reported previously (34M). Our protocol presented here was based on the idea that, initially, myeloma cells with proliferative activity could be affected by MP
therapy, and subsequent IFN alpha
therapy would have effect even on the residual myeloma cells. Serial checks of 3H-TdR uptake of myeloma cells during the
therapy supported this idea. During the maintenance
therapy, clinical responses to the initial induction
therapy were not aggravated in the responded cases when evaluated by the variation of serum M-
protein level. We propose that considering from a point of proliferative activity of myeloma cells is important for designing therapeutic protocols for
multiple myeloma.