Combination chemotherapy of multiple myeloma with Alkeran, Cytoxan, vincristine, prednisone, and BCNU

Abstract

Thirty-six patients with myeloma have been treated with a combination drug protocol (M2) including Alkeran, Cytoxan, prednisone, BCNU, and vincristine. Thirty-two patients have been adequately treated and evaluated. Sixty percent have had excellent subjective and objective responses (I-A). An additional 30% have had significant subjective or objective responses, but without suitable parameters present to qualify as I-A. The M2 treatment is well tolerated and is easy to administer. It appears to be more effective in the treatment of myeloma than previous Alkeran regimens used at Memorial Hospital. Although survival data is not significant at this time, only three adequately-treated cases have died within the first 14 months. This represents a distinctly better survival pattern than we experienced prior to M2. Two patients with Waldenström's macroglobulinemia have also responded well to die M2. The “B-lymphocyte” malignancies, as a group, may well be candidates for further investigation by the M2 type of therapeutic approach.