[Treatment of multiple myeloma with intravenous pamidronate. Pain prevention and suppression of hypercalcemia risk].

In a prospective clinical study, with the patient as its own control, we selected patients with stage III multiple myeloma. We treated them monthly with intravenous (i.v.) Disodic Pamidronate: 90 mg in 2 to 21 cycles. Four patients died during the study. The remaining 13 patients presented reduced bone resorption urinary markers (D-Pyr mainly) as well as urinary calcium (bone turnover reduction). Both effects (metabolic interchange reduction and calcium variation) did not show a direct relationship, being the 1st magnitude proportional to the baseline level and the 2nd independent from it. We noted pain reduction (VAS: visual analogs scale), low analgesic consumption, and the absence of future skeletal problems. The treatment tolerance was good. All these factors contribute to justify the welfare of the patient demonstrated by ECOG (Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group), not only improving the average results but also extending this improvement to future results. Our observation suggests that under strict procedures, this treatment could be very adequate in patients with advanced multiple myeloma independent of the state of the disease at the beginning of the study.