germanium and Multiple-Myeloma

Interferon (IFN) is one of several drugs effective in treating multiple myeloma (MM), and propagermanium is an IFN inducer. We report on 10 MM patients who were treated with propagermanium at doses from 10 to 40 mg. Two patients achieved complete remission (CR), two patients achieved partial remission (PR), and the condition of four patients was stable (stable disease, SD). After discontinuation of propagermanium, the status of MM progressed in two patients who were in SD and in two patients who had achieved PR. The administration of propagermanium was restarted in one patient resulting in a decrease in her paraprotein.

Topics: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Disease Progression; Female; Germanium; Humans; Interferon Inducers; Male; Middle Aged; Multiple Myeloma; Myeloma Proteins; Organometallic Compounds; Propionates; Remission Induction; Treatment Outcome

In order to evaluate effects of interferon (IFN) and its inducers on neutrophil functions, neutrophil chemiluminescence (ChL) was assayed in 12 patients treated with IFN (human lymphoblastoid interferon, 3.0 X 10(6) units/day i.m. daily) or Ge-132 (2,250 mg/day p.o. daily). The peak levels of neutrophil ChL, assayed one week after the initiation of treatment, were increased in comparison to those before treatment, but one month after treatment they were decreased to pretreatment levels in spite of the daily administration of the agent. On the basis of these results, it was concluded that IFN and Ge-132 enhanced the host defence mechanism including the activation of neutrophils, which appeared at the early phase of the host reaction.

Topics: Adenocarcinoma; Adult; Aged; Female; Germanium; Humans; Interferon Inducers; Interferon Type I; Kidney Neoplasms; Leukemia, Myeloid; Luminescent Measurements; Lymphoma; Male; Middle Aged; Multiple Myeloma; Neutrophils; Organometallic Compounds; Oxygen Consumption; Phagocytosis; Propionates