Growth Rates and Responses to Treatment in Human Myelomatosis

Abstract

Summary: Studies of myelomatosis during the M.R.C. trial have shown that the average doubling times for paraprotein levels were 10.1 months for γG, 6.3 months for γA and 3.4 months for Bence‐Jones myelomata. These findings suggest that from a single mutant cell it takes on average 33, 21 and 11 years respectively for the clinical emergence of these three types of myeloma. Four biochemical types of response to treatment were found and a slow response carried the best prognosis. ‘Bence‐Jones escape’, observed in 15 patients, indicates the need to monitor the urine during treatment.