title: Alfacalcidol is a nontoxic, effective treatment of follicular small-cleaved cell lymphoma.
abstract: Thirty-four patients with progressive low grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma were treated with 1 microgram oral alfacalcidol daily. Complete response was seen in four patients and a partial response in four patients with an overall response rate of 24%. Median duration of response was 14 months. Disease stabilised in ten other patients (29%) and 16 patients (47%) had tumour progression. In the sub-group of patients with follicular, small-cleaved cell-lymphoma the overall response to treatment was 29%. Apart from one patient who had a mild transitory elevation of serum calcium there was no recorded toxicity from alfacidol. These results indicate that alfacalcidol has significant antitumour activity in patients with low grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the follicular, small-cleaved cell type.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, UK.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Raina
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cunningham
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gilchrist
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Soukop
mesh_terms: D002117:Calcitriol / Q000502:physiology; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006887:Hydroxycholecalciferols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008224:Lymphoma, Follicular / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D006887:Hydroxycholecalciferols; D002117:Calcitriol; D002118:Calcium; C008088:alfacalcidol