[Clinical trial of a combination of human lymphoblastoid interferon (HLBI), melphalan and prednisolone (HLBI-MP) in multiple myeloma].

Six patients with multiple myeloma were treated with HLBI-MP regimen; HLBI 300 X 10(4)U/day daily, Melphalan 4 mg/day p.o. from day 1 to 4 and prednisolone 20 mg/day p.o. from day 1 to 4. Two patients had been refractory to a combination chemotherapy consisting of vincristine, cyclophosphamide, prednisolone and/or adriamycin, while the other 4 patients had been previously untreated. With the HLBI-MP regimen, 3 of 6 patients showed clinical effects. Among the two patients previously treated, one showed an improvement in performance status and the other disappearance of plasmacytoma, respectively. One previously untreated patient showed more than 50% reduction of M-protein. Slight to moderate leukocytopenia was found in all cases, but this was controlled without need for cessation of HLBI. HLBI-MP regimen is thus expected to be useful in the clinical management of patients with multiple myeloma.