1. ¹Department of Haematooncology, Medical University of Lublin, Poland
2. ²Department of Haematology, Medical University of Gdansk, Poland
3. ³Department of Haematology, Collegium Medicum Jagiellonian University, Cracow, Poland
4. ⁴Department of Haematology CSK WAM, Warsaw, Poland
5. ⁵Department of Haematology Medical University of Lodz, Poland
6. ⁶Department of Haematology and Transfusion Medicine, Warsaw, Poland
7. ⁷Department of Haematology Medical University of Bialystok, Poland

Correspondence: Dr I Hus, Department of Haematology Medical University of Lublin, 20-954 Lublin, Jaczewskiego 8, Poland. E-mail: iwohus@wp.pl

Received 28 April 2004; Revised 13 July 2004; Accepted 22 September 2004; Published online 2 November 2004.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess the prognostic value of pretreatment clinical and laboratory parameters in refractory or relapsed multiple myeloma (MM) patients who have a long-term response to thalidomide (THAL), lasting at least 18 months. The study was carried out on 234 patients who received THAL for relapsed/refractory myeloma. Out of the 234 patients, 129 patients (55.1%) responded to THAL with a mean response duration of 11.9 months (ranging from 1 to 48) and an overall survival rate of 20.3 months (ranging 1–55 months). In 64 patients (27.4% of the whole group), the response to THAL lasted 18 months with a mean response lasting 24 months. Statistical analysis of the group of nonresponders and patients with long-term response to THAL showed a significantly higher serum albumin level (P=0.0003) and haemoglobin level (P=0.05), as well as a lower 2 microglobulin (2M) (P=0.022), LDH (P=0.045) serum level in patients with long-term response. In this study, the LDH and serum albumin level were predictors for response to THAL therapy. The 2M serum level was not a predictor for response to THAL. The albumin serum level was the best parameter distinguishing the group of patients with long-term response to THAL from the entire responding group (P=0.02).