Treatment of AL amyloidosis with melphalan, prednisone, and colchicine.

Seven patients with immunoglobulin type (AL) amyloidosis were treated with combination chemotherapy, including melphalan, prednisone, and colchicine. Two patients died within 5 months of the beginning of therapy. Both had amyloid cardiomyopathy. Five patients were alive 17-60 months after the start of therapy, and none had shown progression of disease. The most significant findings were the resolution of the nephrotic syndrome in 2 patients, and improvement of liver function, as demonstrated by excretion of indocyanine green, in 2 patients. These results are encouraging and support the need for further studies of this regimen of combination chemotherapy for patients with AL amyloidosis.