Multiple myeloma treated with high dose intravenous melphalan

High dose melphalan (HDM, 140 mg/m2 i.v.) has been evaluated in 58 patients under 63 years with multiple myeloma. Among previously untreated patients 11/41 (27%) entered a complete remission (CR: no measurable myeloma protein and a normal bone marrow) and 21 (51%) entered a partial remission (more than 50% reduction in myeloma protein and improvement in all other features). Median duration of remission is 19 months. Two patients who had responded to previous conventional treatment entered CR after HDM. Among 15 patients who had failed on previous chemotherapy the response rate was 66% including two CRs. However, in this group all patients have relapsed within 1 year. Profound myelosuppression, moderate nausea, vomiting, mucositis and diarrhoea with reversible alopecia occurred in all patients. There were 10 deaths within 2 months of treatment mainly due to sepsis and haemorrhage. In a subsequent study, high dose methyl prednisolone (1 g/m2 daily for 5 d) has been added to HDM. Response rates are similar with 6/22 (27%) CR, 13/22 (59%) PR and 2/22 NR but there was only one early death, reflecting improvements in medical management. The high CR rate is an encouraging feature of this approach which is now to be the basis of a prospective trial sponsored by the Medical Research Council in which HDM, with and without steroids, is compared to the best available conventional therapy (the MRC VI Myelomatosis trial).