title: [The treatment of large-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphomas with the MACOP-B protocol].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To investigate the results of the treatment of large-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (LCNHL) with the MACOP-B chemotherapy protocol.
  
  
  METHODS
  20 patients with the following inclusion criteria were treated: LCNHL with a definite majority of large lymphoid cells and absence of previous therapy, HIV infection or severe underlying diseases.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three patients died during therapy and 15 (75%) achieved a complete remission. Actuarial survival after 36 months (0.66) was significantly better (p = 0.05) than that of a comparable historical series of LCNHL treated with CHOP (0.28). Age, stages III-IV, B symptoms, large lymphatic mass (LLM) and bone marrow infiltration did not negatively affect survival. The toxicity of the MACOP-B protocol was high: mucositis (65%), cytopenia (55%), neuropathy (40%), complications of steroid therapy (15%), and mortality directly related with therapy in 15%. Residual masses were found after therapy in 7% (70%) with BD, which were localized in lymphoid areas or in parenchyma (spleen and kidney). Surgical exploration showed that the residual masses were not tumoral in three cases, and in another three magnetic resonance suggested inactive disease.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The MACOP-B protocol is highly effective for the treatment of LCNHL. The essential prognostic factor for survival in these NHL appears to be the cell composition with a great majority of large cells.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital Ramón y Cajal, Madrid.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Montalbán
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Rodríguez García
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Marcos Robles
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Serrano
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Arechaga
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Perales
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bellas
mesh_terms: D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001761:Bleomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D006801:Humans; D002955:Leucovorin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D016403:Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D011241:Prednisone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D012074:Remission Induction; D013997:Time Factors; D014750:Vincristine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D001761:Bleomycin; D014750:Vincristine; D004317:Doxorubicin; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D002955:Leucovorin; D011241:Prednisone; D008727:Methotrexate
vernacular_title: Tratamiento de linfomas no hodgkinianos de célula grande con protocolo MACOP-B.