CYCLOPHOSPHAMIDE L2 PROTOCOL - COMBINATION CHEMOTHERAPEUTIC REGIMEN FOR ADVANCED NON-HODGKINS LYMPHOMA

Abstract

A group of 49 patients with advanced non-Hodgkin''s lymphoma were entered in a combination chemotherapy protocol (cyclophosphamide L2). Of 14 patients with diffuse poorly differentiated lymphocytic lymphoma (DPDL), 64% responded with 2 partial remissions (PR) and 7 complete remissions (CR). Both PRs are stable at 17+ mo., while 6 of the CR group are free of disease at 3-23+ mo. Of 30 patients with diffuse histiocytic lymphoma, 53% (DHL) responded with 23% attaining CR status. Of the 9 PR patients, 6 are stable at 11-23+ mo., while 6 of the 7 CR group are without disease at 9-27+ mo. The major toxic effect was bone marrow suppression with 2 deaths during periods of neutropenia. One of these deaths was definitely drug related. The encouraging results in the DPDL category led to a continuation of this protocol for patients with this histologic type. In patients with DHL other approaches are being explored.