[A case report of macroglobulinemia responded to AAAP-therapy]

A 60-year-old woman was referred to us because of tumors on the occipital and the bilateral submaxillary areas. Biopsy proved them to be well-differentiated lymphosarcoma. On admission, systemic lymphadenopathy was noted and there was 26% of plasmacytoid cells in the bone marrow of the sternum. Monoclonal gammopathy of IgM,K type was found; her disease was diagnosed as a macroglobulinemia (IgM: 8,460 mg/dl). VENP-therapy consisted of vincristine 1 mg/w, cyclophosphamide 50 mg/d procarbazine 50 mg/d and prednisolone 30 mg/d was applied for about four weeks, but in vain. Transaminase levels were elevated (GOT 575 U, GPT 480 U) and the superficial lymphnodes did hardly diminish. Therefore, after improvement of the liver dysfunctions, 5 courses of AAAP-therapy, which was consisted of ACNU 50 mg/d (IV drip over 4 hrs), adriamycin 20 mg/d (IV push), methotrexate 25 mg/d (IV push) and prednisolone 60 mg/d (IV push) once a week or three were employed with excellent clinical effects. The superficial lymphnodes disappeared, M-protein and plasmacytoid cells in the bone marrow markedly decreased. An interval of the initial remission reached to 17 months. As previously reported, AAAP-therapy was also effective to multiple myeloma and acute lymphocytic leukemia of B-cell type. Therefore, AAAP-therapy would be one of the best chemotherapies for B-cell malignancy including macroglobulinemia.