title: Advanced non-Hodgkins' lymphomas: response to treatment with combination chemotherapy and factors influencing prognosis.
abstract: Response to combination chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide, vincristine and prednisone (COP) and specific factors influenceing prognosis were evaluated in 70 patients with stage III or IV non-Hodgkin's lymphomas. Complete remissions (CR) were observed in 40% of patients, with a total response rate of 88%. The median duration of CR was 8 months, but 50% of patients were in continuing CR. High rates of CR were associated with: (a) well-differentiated lymphocytic cytology, (b) tumour nodularity, (c) normal blood lymphocyte counts at diagnosis, and (d) disease stage IIIA. These same factors also showed a positive correlation with 5-year-survival rates from diagnosis. It is suggested that patients with advanced non-Hodgkin's lymphomas do not form a homogeneous treatment group, but warrant a differential therapeutic approach based on the prognostic determinants stated above. The study provides further support for the prognostic usefulness of Rappaport's classification of these tumours.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D016403:Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology