Serumβ2-microglobulin in malignant lymphoma

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Abstract
Serum β2-microglobulin (S-β2m) was measured at diagnosis in 189 patients with malignant lymphoma, all with a normal serum creatinine clearance. The diagnosis was non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) in 149 patients and Hodgkin's disease (HD) in 40. Among the NHL group, S-β2m was raised (>3.0 mg/1) in 15% of patients with Stage I and II and in 65% of those with Stage III and IV. The corresponding frequencies for HD were 11% and 83% respectively. In NHL, a high pretreatment level of S-β2m was found to be a poor prognostic sign in all stages. Patients in Stage I and II with an elevated pretreatment level of S-β2m had a higher relapse rate than those with normal S-β2m. In Stage III and IV patients with initial levels > 3.5 mg/l, the survival was significantly shorter than in those with initial values of 2m value was found in Stage III and IV patients who achieved complete remission than in those who did not. Serial determinations of S-β2m in 23 patients with NHL showed that increased pretreatment levels became normal when remission was achieved and increased again in relapse. Thus the S-β2m provides valuable prognostic information in this group of patients.

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