[BUN, Bence Jones protein, and chromosomal aberrations predict survival in multiple myeloma]

The prognostic significance of of some clinical features in 41 patients with multiple myeloma (including 2 patients with plasma cell leukemia) from our institution was analyzed. Out of 14 variables isolated from the univariate analysis (P < 0.05), only three (BUN, Bence Jones protein, and chromosomal aberrations) were significant in the multivariate model (P < 0.05). Derived from these three variables, three subpopulations of patients were identified. The first group included 20 patients with a low risk of death and their median survival has not been reached. In particular, no one died during the first 60 months in this group. The second group also included 14 patients with an intermediate risk of death and a median survival of 49.2 months. The third group comprised seven patients with a high risk of death during 24 months after diagnosis and a median survival of 31.6 months (P < 0.0001). Finally, Durie & Salmon's myeloma staging system was demonstrated in the present series, and it showed prognostic validity for each stage (P < 0.0222). Compared with Durie & Salmon's staging system, our prognostic model for multiple myeloma was more useful to predict prognosis when applied to the present series.