Improved long-term survival in multiple myeloma. Finnish Leukaemia Group

50 patients were treated for multiple myeloma with 5-drug combination chemotherapy between Jan 1979 and Feb 1980. After 8 years 12 patients (24%) were alive. The relative age-adjusted survival rate was 27%. The risk of death was constant during the follow-up, and active myelomatosis was still the main cause of death during the 8th yr. Thus the treatment is not curative. All 7 long-term survivors initially at stages II or III had at least a 75% response to the primary treatment. The other 5 patients were initially in an early stage (I) of their disease. Acute leukaemia has developed in 2 patients.