Abstract
We evaluated the value of a CHOP-like regimen in the treatment of Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) in elderly patients in which Doxorubicin was replaced by Epiadramycin and Bleomycin was added.
One hundred and thirty-four previously untreated intermediate or high-grade NHL aged 60 years or more were included in the study. Two patients were stage II Bulky, 51 stage III and 81 stage IV. Fifty percent of patients presented poor performance status and 79 out of 119 patients had increased LDH level. Complete remission was obtained in 67% of the patients and partial remission in 8%. With a median follow-up of 58 months, the median overall survival was 25 months (95%CI = (18 41)) with a 35% survival rate at 5 years (95%CI = (26 45)). Univariate and multivariate prognostic factor analysis was performed. For overall survival, univariate analysis showed histology, LDH level, performance status and age greater than 70 year old as prognostic factors. Multivariable analysis showed poor performance status and LDH level as prognostic factors of overall survival, independently than being more than 70 year old. For event-free survival and disease-free survival, the only prognostic factor was β2 microglobulin.
This study confirms that CHOP-like regimen give about 35% of long-term survivors in the treatment of aggressive non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in elderly patients and that new therapeutic approaches are needed to improve the prognosis of these patients.
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Raban, N., Giraudeau, B., Desablens, B. et al. VECP-Bleo regimen as treatment of advanced stage aggressive non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in elderly patients a GOELAMS protocol. Hematol Cell Ther 42, 142–148 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00282-000-0142-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00282-000-0142-9