title: Overview of four clinical studies of chemotherapy for stage III and IV non-Hodgkin's lymphomas by the Cancer and Leukemia Group B.
abstract: This paper presents an overview of four Cancer and Leukemia Group B studies in 1266 patients with stage III-IV non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The cases were analyzed across protocols; the major prognostic determinants were prior chemotherapy, age, and histology. The four studies proved that cyclophosphamide maintenance was superior to no maintenance even after prolonged intensive induction chemotherapy. Furthermore, the reinforcement program of monthly pulse doses of vincristine and prednisone, whose value was established in the treatment of acute leukemia, led to highly significant improvement in remission duration and survival. Other facets of the chemotherapy programs are still being subjected to analysis, but this report sets out some preliminary conclusions.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001761:Bleomycin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006801:Humans; D008130:Lomustine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D016403:Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse / Q000188:drug therapy; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000188:drug therapy; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011241:Prednisone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012075:Remission, Spontaneous; D013308:Streptonigrin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013997:Time Factors; D014747:Vinblastine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014750:Vincristine / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D001761:Bleomycin; D013308:Streptonigrin; D014750:Vincristine; D014747:Vinblastine; D008130:Lomustine; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D011241:Prednisone; D008727:Methotrexate