title: Clinical and pathological restaging in aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphomas.
abstract: Residual tumor masses are sometimes found in non Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) patients after chemo-radiotherapy treatment. Radiologic findings do not differentiate lymphoma from fibrosis necrotic tissue. Surgical and histology reevaluation is the most reliable method of evaluation the viability of tumor residual masses. Sixty-three consecutive high-grade NHL were treated with F-MACHOP regimen. After 3 courses of F-MACHOP the response was evaluated clinically: twenty two (36%) achieved a clinical complete remission, 32 a clinical partial remission, 7 were non responders and two were not evaluable. An early pathological response evaluation was performed in 23 clinical partial responders. Fifteen (65%) patients had no evidence of NHL after pathological restaging and were considered as pathologic complete response and completed treatment with 3 additional courses F-MACHOP. Eight (35%), histologically positive, were defined as pathologic partial response and were crossed to salvage regimens. The 1 year actuarial event-free survival differed significantly according to clinical response after 3 courses of F-MACHOP and the outcome of clinical partial responders was highly dependent on the result of pathological restaging (87% for negative and 23% for positive). Our experience suggests that a significant proportion of clinical partial responses are histologically confirmed at pathological restaging when this procedure is performed early during treatment.
authors.affiliation: University La Sapienza, Roma.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mandelli
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Amadori
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Guglielmi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Martelli
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Coluzzi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003561:Cytarabine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D016403:Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011241:Prednisone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014750:Vincristine / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D003561:Cytarabine; D014750:Vincristine; D004317:Doxorubicin; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D005472:Fluorouracil; D011241:Prednisone; D008727:Methotrexate