Between Ap. 1989 and Jul. 1991, 42 patients with the intermediate and high grade Non-Hodgkin' s lymphoma were treated with COP-BLAM V(cyclophosphamide, bleomycin, prednisone, vincristine, adriamycin, procarbazine) infusional chemotherapy.
The median age was 53yrs(range 19~77) and male to female ratio was 30:11. No patients received any previous cytotoxic chemotherapy, and the common histologic typeswere diffuse histiocytic type(74%) and immunoblastic type(14%). The proportion of
patients
with 'B' symptoms, or bulky mass, or LDH>400 at diagnosis was 31%, 17%, 19%, respectively.
The rate of complete remission was 74%(31/42) and overal response rate was 95%(40/42). The median-disease free interval was 14 months(1.5~23). The rage of survival time was from 2+ to 24+ months. 2year survival rate was 78.5% but the median
survival
time was not reached right now(the median follow up time: 12.5months)
The leukopenia(26%) and anemia(14%) were the hematologic toxicities. Non-hematologic side effects were moderate and severe G-I symptoms-nausea, vomiting(31%), alopecia(69%), stomatitis(12%) and pulmonary toxity(14%), two treatment related deaths
were
associated with sepsis and acute respiratory distress syndrome(ARDS)
Based on high complete response rate and tolerable toxicitiy, COP-BLAM V seems to be an effective treatment regimen for the intermediate and high grade Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. To confirm the efficacy further, long-term follow up and the phase III
randomised comparision with other regimens with be needed.
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