@article{3114852,
    title = "Prognostic value of serum beta(2)-microglobulin in patients with
Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia requiring treatment",
    author = "Anagnostopoulos, Athanasios and Zervas, Konstantinos and Kyrtsonis, and Marie Christine and Symeonidis, Argyris and Gika, Dimitra and Bourantas, and Konstantinos and Zomas, Athanasios and Anagnostopoulos, Nikolaos and and Pangalis, Gerasimos and Dimopoulos, Meletios Athanasios and Greek and Myeloma Study Grp",
    journal = "Clinical Lymphoma Myeloma and Leukemia",
    year = "2006",
    volume = "7",
    number = "3",
    pages = "205-209",
    publisher = "CIG MEDIA GROUP, LP",
    doi = "10.3816/CLM.2006.n.060",
    keywords = "anemia; B symptoms; hyperviscosity; lymphadenopathy; splenomegaly",
    abstract = "Purpose: Waldenstrom’s macroglobulinemia (WM) is a lymphoplasmacytoid
lymphoma characterized by a relatively indolent course with median
survival ranging from 5 years to 10 years in different series. Several
clinical and laboratory variables have been associated with inferior
survival, such as advanced age, hyperviscosity, presence of cytopenia,
and hypoalbuminemia. Recent data indicate that serum
beta(2)-microglobulin (beta 2M) might also be significant. The purpose
of our study was to assess possible correlations of beta 2M with
clinical and laboratory variables and to further evaluate its
association with cause-specific and overall survival (OS) of patients
with WM requiring treatment. Patients and Methods: We analyzed 124
patients with WM with an available pretreatment value of beta 2M. Median
age was 70 years (range, 28-89 years), and median survival was 105
months. Multiple clinical and laboratory parameters were evaluated for
their possible correlation with OS. Results: Patients with older age,
anemia, thrombocytopenia, hypoalbuminemia, and higher creatinine levels
had significantly greater serum beta 2M levels. This variable was
associated with impaired cause-specific survival and OS in the whole
group of patients and in patients aged <= 70 years. More specifically,
OS for all patients according to serum beta 2M > 4 mg/dL versus <= 4
mg/dL was 79 months versus 115 months (P = 0.01). Conclusion: Our data
provide further evidence that high beta 2M levels are an important
parameter associated with inferior OS and cause-specific survival of
patients with WM requiring treatment. This parameter may be used to
stratify patients involved in prospective clinical trials."
}