COMBINATION CHEMOTHERAPY (CHOP-BLEO) IN ADVANCED (NON-HODGKIN) MALIGNANT-LYMPHOMA

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  • 1 January 1977
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 49  (3) , 325-333
Abstract
Forty-seven adults with advanced malignant lymphoma (the majority in stage IV) were treated with a combination of cyclophosphamide, hydroxyldaunorubicin (adriamycin), vincristine (Oncovin), prednisone and bleomycin (CHOP-Bleo). The complete remission (CR) rate was 66%. The overall response (complete + partial remission) was 92%. The CR rate in patients with diffuse histiocytic lymphoma (DHL) was 69%. Only 3 of 18 patients with DHL in CR relapsed. The projected median duration of response was > 2 yr. In patients with nodular poorly differentiated lymphocytic lymphoma (NPDL), the CR rate was 62%. One of the 8 patients with NPDL in CR relapsed. The projected median duration of complete response will be > 4 yr. The median survival for all patients entered in this study was not reached. It was estimated that it will be > 3 yr. The survival curves became flat at 70 wk for patients with DHL and at 1 yr for patients with NPDL. Major complications during chemotherapy with CHOP-Bleo were myelosuppression and alopecia. Only 6 severe infections occurred during myelosuppression. No hemorrhagic problems were observed. This study indicates that combination chemotherapy with these agents is effective in increasing the CR rate and survival in patients with DHL. In patients with NPDL, further observation will be needed to assess the effect of this combination on survival.