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Phase II study of Rituximab combined with THP-COP as first-line therapy for patients younger than 70 years with diffuse large B cell lymphoma

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Abstract

Introduction

We previously described the effectiveness of the THP-COP regimen comprising cyclophosphamide, pirarubicin (tetrahydropyranyl adriamycin; THP), vincristine and prednisolone in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). The anthracycline drug THP was apparently less cardiotoxic than doxorubicin. However, that study was completed before rituximab was introduced into clinical practice. We conducted a phase II study to determine the effectiveness of a regimen incorporating rituximab (R-THP-COP) against DLBCL.

Patients

Six to 8 courses of the regimen were administered every 2 weeks in 48 patients who were younger than 70 years.

Results

The complete remission rate was 92%, the 3-year overall survival rate was 83% and 3-year progression free survival rate was 74%. No deaths were associated with the treatment regimen.

Conclusion

We conclude that R-THP-COP regimen is very effective against DLBCL. The results of our study urge randomized trials of R-CHOP and R-THP-COP among patients with CD20+ DLBCL.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. First Department of Internal Medicine, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu, 501-1194, Japan

    Takeshi Hara, Hisashi Tsurumi, Naoe Goto, Jun-ichi Kitagawa, Nobuhiro Kanemura, Takeshi Yoshikawa, Senji Kasahara, Ichiro Yasuda, Naoki Katsumura & Hisataka Moriwaki

  2. Department of Internal Medicine, Kisogawa Municipal Hospital, Ichinomiya, Japan

    Hideko Goto

  3. Department of Hematology, Gifu Red-Cross Hospital, Gifu, Japan

    Kenji Fukuno & Michio Sawada

  4. Division of Hematology, Gifu Municipal Hospital, Gifu, Japan

    Toshiki Yamada & Takeshi Takahashi

  5. Department of Immunopathology, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu, Japan

    Tsuyoshi Takami

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  1. Takeshi Hara
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  2. Hisashi Tsurumi
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  3. Naoe Goto
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  4. Jun-ichi Kitagawa
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  14. Takeshi Takahashi
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  15. Tsuyoshi Takami
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  16. Hisataka Moriwaki
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Correspondence to Hisashi Tsurumi.

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Hara, T., Tsurumi, H., Goto, N. et al. Phase II study of Rituximab combined with THP-COP as first-line therapy for patients younger than 70 years with diffuse large B cell lymphoma. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 136, 65–70 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00432-009-0637-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00432-009-0637-x

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