Abstract

Clinical findings and results were analysed in 56 cases diagnosed as multiple myeloma between October 1981 and June l994 at Kyung Hee University Hospital. The resuts were as followings: 1) The incidence reached a peak during 7th decade and male to female ratio was 1.2:l. 2) The chief complaints at initial presentation were bone pain(50%), pathologic fracture (14%) and anemia(14%), 3) Hematologic findings showed anemia in 77%, leukopenia in 25% and thrombocytopenia in 23%. ESR was elevated in 91% of patients. Hypercalcemia was noted in l3% and renal failure in 29%. 4) X-ray findings showed pathologic fracture in 39%, osteolytic lesion in 70% and osteo-porosis in 32% but normal finding was found in 5% of patients. 5) Clinical stage was stage I in 8%, stage II in 19% and stage III in 73% of patients. Fifteen of sixteen patients with renal insufficiency were in stage III. 6) Serum protein electrophoresis showed a M-peak in 89%. Mean M-protein concentration was 4.55 g/dl. M-protein was IgG in 57%, IgA in 24%, IgD in 2% and light chain only in 17% . Kappa to lambda ratio was 1.4: l. 7) Varisnt forms of multiple myeloma were 2 cases of nonsecretory myeloma, 1 case of solitary plasmacytoma and 1 case of plasma cell leukemia. 8) Response rate to primary chemotherapy was 37% for MP regimen and 60% for M2 regimen. There was statistically significant survival difference between responders and non-responders(p<0.01). The overall median survival of patients was 76 weeks.

• Keywords: Multiple myeloma, Clinical study