Hemibody irradiation. An effective second‐line therapy in drug‐resistant multiple myeloma

The authors report the results of treatment of 41 patients with melphalan‐resistant multiple myeloma using single half‐body irradiation (HBI) or double half‐body irradiation (DHBI). Patients were grouped using the prognostic classification reported by the Medical Research Council. Patients in groups I and II showed the best response to therapy with reduction in serum or urinary paraprotein and improvement in symptoms, most notably a marked reduction in bone pain. In these groups five patients have survived over 2 years after therapy. The therapeutic response appeared better in those patients who received DHBI as opposed to those whom treated with single HBI. Patients in group III did not achieve prolonged survival but effective relief of bone pain was a consistent finding in these patients also. Thus HBI represents an alternative to combination chemotherapy as second‐line treatment of patients with melphalan‐resistant multiple myeloma. A comparative study of HBI versus combination chemotherapy is now indicated to establish which therapeutic approach is most effective.