Showing papers by "Mario Boccadoro published in 1992"
TL;DR: A survival analysis carried out in 162 MM patients at diagnosis showed that serum CRP level is a highly significant prognostic factor, and a new and powerful myeloma staging system based on simple and reliable laboratory evaluations is proposed.
298 citations
TL;DR: The standard chemotherapy for MM will continue to be an area of great controversy until a new treatment strategy proves to be clearly superior in large randomized studies.
Abstract: Standard chemotherapy for myelomatosis is controversial because no therapy has yet been shown to be superior to it. Melphalan and prednisone remain the reference treatment for this disease. The choice of induction treatment must take into account such parameters as age, clinical condition, and the biologic characteristics of the neoplastic cells. Emerging evidence suggests the preferential use of combination chemotherapy in selected subgroups.
27 citations
TL;DR: The immunoglobulin (Ig) rearrangement of myeloma heavily infiltrated bone marrow cells is examined with a probe from the heavy chain J region (JH) and the BamHI, EcoRI and HindIII restriction enzymes which are appropriate for the detection of clonal VDJ recombination.
Abstract: Multiple myeloma (MM) is characterized by the expansion of terminally differentiated plasma cells. It is still uncertain whether the clonogenic fraction is confined to the plasma cell or pre-plasma cell compartment. We examined the immunoglobulin (Ig) rearrangement of myeloma heavily infiltrated bone marrow cells with a probe from the heavy chain J region (JH) and the BamHI, EcoRI and HindIII restriction enzymes which are appropriate for the detection of clonal VDJ recombination. In 23/39 MMs, clonal Ig gene rearrangement was detected with BamHI, EcoRI and HindIII enzymes. Unexpectedly, in 14/39 patients both BamHI and EcoRI failed to detect Ig rearrangement, whereas HindIII consistently demonstrated VDJ recombination. The 5' sites of BamHI, EcoRI and HindIII restriction fragments are precisely defined by the VDJ rearrangement. Since the 3' ends of BamHI and EcoRI restriction fragments are downstream from the switch mu region and change in size during switch recombination, the absence of rearranged bands is determined by several autonomous recombinations affecting the switch region. By contrast, the 3' ends of HindIII restriction fragments are upstream, their size does not vary during isotype switch allowing the constant detection of clonality. Accordingly, in 35% of patients the clonogenic fraction seems to originate from a pre-switch B cell. This B cell will differentiate to a mature plasma cell developing multiple independent switch recombinations, as the variable mechanism of switch recombination suggests.
17 citations
13 citations
TL;DR: Evaluated patients with tubular/fibrillary glomerulonephritis found no common serologic, immunologic or immunogenetic features suggestive of plasma cell dyscrasias, and no elements to state whether these GNs represent a new entity or just atypical forms of known GN were found.
Abstract: IgG and IgA immune complexes, mononuclear phagocytic system function, interleukin-2 (IL-2) production by peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL), serum-soluble IL-2 receptors, tumor necrosis factor, β
3 citations
TL;DR: The results suggest the efficacy of the LTBMC for the in vitro elimination of myeloma cells, including the neoplastic stem cells.
2 citations
01 Jan 1992
TL;DR: When IFN was used as a single induction agent in previously treated or untreated patients with MM, an overall response rate of approximately 20% has been found.
Abstract: Experimental studies of myeloma cells have shown that interferon can decrease both the labeling index of such cells and the capacity for self-renewal in myeloma-forming cells1. However, when IFN was used as a single induction agent in previously treated or untreated patients with MM, an overall response rate of approximately 20% has been found2–5.