- AL amyloidosis
AL amyloidosis, or primary amyloidosis, is the most common form of systemic
amyloidosis in the US.cite journal |author=Gertz MA |title=The classification and typing of amyloid deposits |journal=Am. J. Clin. Pathol. |volume=121 |issue=6 |pages=787–9 |year=2004 |month=June |pmid=15198347 |doi=10.1309/TR4L-GLVR-JKAM-V5QT |url=http://ajcp.metapress.com/openurl.asp?genre=article&issn=0002-9173&volume=121&issue=6&spage=787]It occurs in 5 to 15% of people with
multiple myeloma .Fact|date=June 2008The "AL" refers to
amyloid light chain.cite web |url=http://www.medicinenet.com/amyloidosis/article.htm |title=Amyloidosis Causes, Diagnosis, Symptoms, and Treatment on MedicineNet.com |format= |work= |accessdate=]Presentation
The
Bence Jones proteins produced are necessary to produce amyloidosis but other factors are required for amyloidosis to occur. Most people with AL amyloidosis do not have multiple myeloma, or any otherB cell tumour. They often have a serumgammopathy , and it is unknown whether these cases will ultimately evolve into myeloma, as these people often die from their amyloidosis before malignant transformation occurs.Treatment
Treatment can involve application of
chemotherapy similar to that used in multiple myeloma.cite web |url=http://www.bu.edu/amyloid/doctors/features/clinical-al.html |title=BU | Amyloid Treatment & Research Program | Doctors | Clinical Features | AL Amyloidosis |format= |work= |accessdate=]A combination of
bortezomib anddexamethasone has been proposed,cite journal |author=Kastritis E, Anagnostopoulos A, Roussou M, "et al" |title=Treatment of light chain (AL) amyloidosis with the combination of bortezomib and dexamethasone |journal=Haematologica |volume=92 |issue=10 |pages=1351–8 |year=2007 |month=October |pmid=18024372 |doi=10.3324/haematol.11325 |url=http://www.haematologica.org/cgi/pmidlookup?view=long&pmid=18024372] as hasmelphalan and dexamethasone.cite journal |author=Palladini G, Perfetti V, Obici L, "et al" |title=Association of melphalan and high-dose dexamethasone is effective and well tolerated in patients with AL (primary) amyloidosis who are ineligible for stem cell transplantation |journal=Blood |volume=103 |issue=8 |pages=2936–8 |year=2004 |month=April |pmid=15070667 |doi=10.1182/blood-2003-08-2788 |url=http://www.bloodjournal.org/cgi/pmidlookup?view=long&pmid=15070667]References
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