[Therapy of multiple myeloma. Study of hospital patients: 81 cases in 16 years' observation]

The results achieved with different approaches of chemotherapy protocols applied to 81 patients affected by multiple mieloma and followed up for a duration of 16 years in the geographical area pertaining to the Saronno County Hospital are presented. All the patients are divided into sub-groups, according to the type of treatment they required while being monitored over the years. Each single sub-group is evaluated according to the following criteria: objective response to therapy; median survival rates; toxic effects due to drug exposure. The results are analyzed with reference to the most relevant literature on the matter. A comprehensive retrospective review of emerging data suggests an overlapping median survival--30 and 31 months--in patients given monochemotherapy as such as in those given polychemotherapy. Evidence is also made for a clearly meaningful increase of survival in treated patients compared with that of untreated ones. Median survival depends significantly on the initial stage of the disease. Both therapeutical effectiveness and toxicity are shown to be higher, in accordance with the current literature, in polychemotherapy which include vincristine--especially when a large tumor cell mass is pointed out--compared with therapy based on alkilating agents and prednisone.