RESPONSE TO THERAPY IN IGG MYELOMA PATIENTS EXCRETING LAMBDA OR KAPPA LIGHT-CHAINS - CALGB EXPERIENCE

  • 1 January 1979
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 54  (1) , 23-29
Abstract
Previously untreated patients (68) with Ig[immunoglobulin]G myeloma who were entered into 5 protocols [protocol 6051-melphalan (M), prednisone (P), testosterone enanthate (T); protocols 6701 and 6803-M and carmustine (C); protocol 6702-M and P; and protocol 7161-M, P and C] of Cancer and Leukemia Group B (CALGB) were studied to determine the possible influence of excretion of kappa vs. lambda urinary light chains on responses to treatment and survival. All patients in these protocols were included if the serum and urine protein abnormalities were confirmed by one of the 2 group reference laboratories. Pretreatment characteristics of the 2 groups of patients did not differ significantly. Of 44 patients with kappa Bence Jones proteinuria, 19 patients (43%) had good responses to treatment, whereas only 3 of 24 patients (13%) with lambda Bence Jones proteinuria had good responses (P = 0.02). Survival for the patients excreting kappa light chains was significantly better than survival for patients excreting lambda chains (median survival 31 vs. 12 mo., P = 0.02).