Factors predicting for response and survival in adults with advanced non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

Abstract

Knowledge of the prognostic factors that characterize a disease can assist in planning and analyzing clinical trials. The present study was conducted to determine the characteristics related to response and survival in patients with stage III and IV non-Hodgkin''s lymphoma who were treated with combinations of cyclophosphamide, vincristine sulfate and prednisone. Each characteristic was considered individually and stepwise regression analysis, tumor bulkiness, prior therapy, sex and pretreatment lymphocyte count were selected as the 4 most important prognostic variables. Tumor architecture (diffuse or nodular pattern) and cell type, Hb level and symptoms, although not important in predicting response, were important in predicting survival. The Hb level had only marginal importance in predicting response. Factors found not to be important were age, stage, symptoms, cell type, nodularity, marrow involvement, prior extensive radiotherapy and bone involvement. A logistic regression equation was derived to predict response rate.