CASE-REPORT OF A MONOCLONAL GAMMOPATHY IN A PATIENT WITH CHRONIC HEPATITIS - EFFECTS OF BETA-IFN TREATMENT

A sixty-one-year-old woman, with cirrhosis, presented with a monoclona l gammopathy of uncertain significance (MGSU). Often in a condition of cirrhosis is present a benign M component hypergammaglobulinemia. The electrophoresis and the immunophoresis showed a dense papraprotein in the gamma-region, an IgG with K light chain, an uncertain Bence-Jones proteinuria, a medullary plasmacytosis (9%), and a following growth o f paraprotein were present, Lymphoblastic plasma cell were absent, Tre atment with beta-IFN 6 MU for a period of six months and 3 MU for a fu rther period of three months proved ineffective for hepatic disease, b ut produced a quantitative reduction in gamma-G globulin, the Bence-Jo nes proteinuria was absent, a reduction in M component and in medullar y plasmacytosis. Electrophoresis showed a polyclonal evolution of the gammopathy, Suspension of treatment was followed by de novo rise of mo noclonal immunoglobulin. The authors report the use of beta-IFN in the therapy of multiple myeloma.