We evaluated the relevance of beta 2 microglobulin (B2M) plasma concentration in 109 patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) from the Duesseldorf registry. Sixty-five patients with B2M level ≥2mg/dl showed a significantly lower overall survival time with a median of 23 in comparison to 61 months for 44 patients with B2M below 2mg/dl. The risk of AML evolution was higher in patients with B2M≥2mg/dl. Using multivariate analysis we found the B2M level at the time of diagnosis to be an independent prognostic parameter for survival and for the risk of developing AML in high-risk MDS patients
Leukemia Research: Department of Hematology, Oncology and Clinical Immunology, Heinrich-Heine-University Duesseldorf, Moorenstr. 5, 40225 Duesseldorf, Germany
Volume 33, Issue 2, Pages 232-236 (February 2009)
