The chemotherapy of myeloma using melphalan, vincristine, cyclophosphamide, methyl-CCNU and prednisolone

Forty-one multiple myeloma patients seen at the Hacettepe University Oncology Unit between the years 1973 and 1980 received combination chemotherapy consisting of melphalan, prednisolone, cyclophosphamide, vincristine and MeCCNU. Thirteen patients were excluded from the study because of poor diagnosis and follow up. The remaining evaluable 28 patients consisted of 12 men and 16 women with a median age of 53. Prior to the study, 11 patients had received palliative radiotherapy, 4 chemotherapy and 2 both chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Eleven patients had received no treatment. Patients were reevaluated after two courses of treatment. Patients with no objective response were excluded from the study. In those with an objective response, treatment was continued for a maximum of 18 months. An objective remission was obtained in 15 of the 28 patients (53.57%). The remission duration ranged from 4-33 months with a median of 13 months. The most frequent complication of chemotherapy was leucopenia. Although the patient group was small, this study shows that combined chemotherapy consisting of 5 agents does not improve the remission and survival duration of multiple myeloma when compared to the standard melphalan and prednisolone treatment.