Dose-intense cyclophosphamide and etoposide for patients with refractory or high-risk non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

A retrospective review was performed on the toxicity and response to one cycle of dose-intense cyclophosphamide/etoposide, followed by consolidation in patients with refractory or previously untreated, high-risk non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). Fifty-five patients with refractory NHL and 13 with untreated, high-risk NHL were administered one cycle of daily cyclophosphamide 1.5 g/m2 intravenously on days 1-4 and etoposide 300 mg/m2 intravenously every 12 hours on days 1-3. Responders then received other consolidated regimens. Twenty-seven percent of patients with refractory disease had moderate or severe stomatitis, and 44% had moderate or severe infections with 6 (11%) dying of this complication. Similar complication rates were noted in the previously untreated, high-risk group, but there was no treatment-related mortality. The overall response rate to this one cycle of therapy was 31% in the refractory group, with 18% complete response and 13% partial response. The overall response rate in the previously untreated, high-risk group was 69%, with 54% complete and 15% partial responses. In responders, the 2-year event-free survival was 27% in the refractory group and 56% in high-risk group. Dose-intense cyclophosphamide/etoposide has promising efficacy; however, nonhematologic toxicity can be considerable. The better tolerance, high response rate, and encouraging 2-year survival of this regimen in combination with further dose-dense consolidation in patients with high-risk NHL are encouraging.

Duke Scholars

Author Carlos Manuel de Castro III Medicine, Hematologic Malignancies and Cellular Therapy

Author Joseph Odell Moore Medicine, Hematological Malignancies

Author Patrick Joseph Buckley Pathology

Author Jon Paul Gockerman Medicine, Hematologic Malignancies and Cellular Therapy