Baseline clinical characteristics of the 331 patients according to treatment group
| . | MPT, N = 167 . | MP, N = 164 . |
|---|---|---|
| Median age, y | 72 | 72 |
| Age, no. (%) | ||
| ≤ 65 y | 14 (8) | 9 (5) |
| 66-70 y | 54 (32) | 60 (37) |
| 71-75 y | 58 (35) | 52 (32) |
| 76-80 y | 33 (20) | 34 (21) |
| > 80 y | 8 (5) | 9 (5) |
| Stage, no. (%) | ||
| IIA | 59 (35) | 59 (36) |
| IIB | 3 (2) | 4 (2) |
| IIIA | 90 (54) | 85 (52) |
| IIIB | 15 (9) | 16 (10) |
| M-protein class, no. (%) | ||
| IgG | 108 (65) | 104 (63) |
| IgA | 41 (24) | 43 (26) |
| Bence Jones protein | 18 (11) | 17 (11) |
| Bone marrow plasmacytosis, % | ||
| Median | 45 | 50 |
| Range | 5-95 | 2-95 |
| WHO Performance status, no. (%)*, ≥ 3 | 10 (6) | 8 (5) |
| Serum β2-microglobulin | ||
| No. of patients | 147 | 144 |
| Median, mg/L | 3.8 | 3.6 |
| Range, mg/L | 0.36-25.4 | 0.44-37.5 |
| β2-microglobulin, no. (%) | ||
| ≤ 3.5 mg/L | 64 (38) | 67 (41) |
| > 3.5 mg/L | 83 (50) | 77 (47) |
| Data missing | 20 (12) | 20 (12) |
| Albumin | ||
| No. of patients | 137 | 132 |
| Median, g/dL | 3.50 | 3.60 |
| Range, g/dL | 2.1-4.9 | 1.8-4.9 |
| ISS, no. (%) | ||
| No. of patents | 136 | 128 |
| 1 | 32 (23) | 32 (25) |
| 2 | 66 (48) | 59 (46) |
| 3 | 38 (29) | 37 (29) |
| Plasma C-reactive protein | ||
| No. of patients | 129 | 125 |
| Median, mg/L | 2.53 | 2.0 |
| Range, mg/L | 0.007-157 | 0.001-66.7 |
| Hemoglobin | ||
| No. of patients | 133 | 134 |
| Median, g/dL | 10.7 | 10.0 |
| Range, g/dL | 7.6-16.2 | 10.1-15.5 |
| Serum creatinine | ||
| No. of patients | 167 | 164 |
| Median, mg/dL | 0.8 | 0.8 |
| Range, mg/dL | 0.6-4.2 | 0.6-6.8 |
| Serum calcemia | ||
| No. of patients | 129 | 124 |
| Median, mmol/L | 2.28 | 2.27 |
| Range, mmol/L | 0.9-3.30 | 0.9-3.9 |
| . | MPT, N = 167 . | MP, N = 164 . |
|---|---|---|
| Median age, y | 72 | 72 |
| Age, no. (%) | ||
| ≤ 65 y | 14 (8) | 9 (5) |
| 66-70 y | 54 (32) | 60 (37) |
| 71-75 y | 58 (35) | 52 (32) |
| 76-80 y | 33 (20) | 34 (21) |
| > 80 y | 8 (5) | 9 (5) |
| Stage, no. (%) | ||
| IIA | 59 (35) | 59 (36) |
| IIB | 3 (2) | 4 (2) |
| IIIA | 90 (54) | 85 (52) |
| IIIB | 15 (9) | 16 (10) |
| M-protein class, no. (%) | ||
| IgG | 108 (65) | 104 (63) |
| IgA | 41 (24) | 43 (26) |
| Bence Jones protein | 18 (11) | 17 (11) |
| Bone marrow plasmacytosis, % | ||
| Median | 45 | 50 |
| Range | 5-95 | 2-95 |
| WHO Performance status, no. (%)*, ≥ 3 | 10 (6) | 8 (5) |
| Serum β2-microglobulin | ||
| No. of patients | 147 | 144 |
| Median, mg/L | 3.8 | 3.6 |
| Range, mg/L | 0.36-25.4 | 0.44-37.5 |
| β2-microglobulin, no. (%) | ||
| ≤ 3.5 mg/L | 64 (38) | 67 (41) |
| > 3.5 mg/L | 83 (50) | 77 (47) |
| Data missing | 20 (12) | 20 (12) |
| Albumin | ||
| No. of patients | 137 | 132 |
| Median, g/dL | 3.50 | 3.60 |
| Range, g/dL | 2.1-4.9 | 1.8-4.9 |
| ISS, no. (%) | ||
| No. of patents | 136 | 128 |
| 1 | 32 (23) | 32 (25) |
| 2 | 66 (48) | 59 (46) |
| 3 | 38 (29) | 37 (29) |
| Plasma C-reactive protein | ||
| No. of patients | 129 | 125 |
| Median, mg/L | 2.53 | 2.0 |
| Range, mg/L | 0.007-157 | 0.001-66.7 |
| Hemoglobin | ||
| No. of patients | 133 | 134 |
| Median, g/dL | 10.7 | 10.0 |
| Range, g/dL | 7.6-16.2 | 10.1-15.5 |
| Serum creatinine | ||
| No. of patients | 167 | 164 |
| Median, mg/dL | 0.8 | 0.8 |
| Range, mg/dL | 0.6-4.2 | 0.6-6.8 |
| Serum calcemia | ||
| No. of patients | 129 | 124 |
| Median, mmol/L | 2.28 | 2.27 |
| Range, mmol/L | 0.9-3.30 | 0.9-3.9 |
MPT indicates melphalan, prednisone, and thalidomide; and MP, melphalan and prednisone.
Performance status was defined according to the criteria of the World Health Organization (WHO).