Toxicity in standard melphalan–prednisone therapy among myeloma patients with renal failure – a retrospective analysis and recommendations for dose adjustment

Summary Haematological and infectious toxicity was correlated to renal function in 272 newly diagnosed myeloma patients given standard dose melphalan–prednisone (MP) as initial treatment without dose adjustment for renal impairment. The glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was estimated by calculated creatinine clearance. Haematological toxicity was found to be significantly related to renal dysfunction. Haematological toxicity World Health Organization (WHO) grades 3–4 after the first MP course was seen in 18%, 28% and 36% of patients with a creatinine clearance of >50, 30–50 and