Sequential studies on the role of mitoxantrone, high-dose cytarabine, and recombinant human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor in the treatment of refractory non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
Mitoxantrone (Novantrone, American Cyanamid Company; NO) and high-dose cytarabine (Ara-C; AC) have each been shown to be active in non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHL) in various studies. The studies reported here are sequential. The first study (NOAC I) combined high-dose cytarabine (3 g/m2/12 h as a 3 h infusion on day 1) with mitoxantrone (10 mg/m2/d on days 2 and 3). Of 31 patients with relapsed and refractory NHL, 7 achieved complete remission (CR) and 7, partial remission (PR). Myelosuppression was the major toxicity of this regimen. In the second study (NOAC II), the dosage of cytarabine was escalated to 3 g/m2/12 h on days 1 and 2 (4 doses) while mitoxantrone remained 10 mg/m2/d on days 2 and 3. The effects of recombinant human (rh) granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) were simultaneously studied. Twenty-three patients from five centers were treated with NOAC plus rhGM-CSF while 14 patients from four centers received NOAC II alone. A CR was achieved in 9 of 23 patients who received the additional rhGM-CSF and in 2 of 14 patients treated with NOAC alone. With rhGM-CSF, the median duration of severe neutropenia (less than 0.5/nL) after chemotherapy was 8 days versus a median of 13 days without rhGM-CSF, while the duration of severe thrombocytopenia (less than 20/nL) was not significantly different. The rates of infection and mucositis were 25% and 17%, respectively, with rhGM-CSF compared to 53% and 60% without rhGM-CSF. Thus, this last nonrandomized pilot study indicates that administration of rhGM-CSF reduces the duration of chemotherapy-induced cytopenia and the rate of mucositis. This growth factor does not appear to result in stimulation of lymphoma cells. At present, a controlled randomized trial is being conducted using NOAC II with rhGM-CSF or placebo to establish the definitive role of this growth factor in the treatment of NHL.
Ho
A D
AD
Northeastern Ontario Oncology Program, Sudbury, Canada.
Del Valle
F
F
Haas
R
R
Engelhard
M
M
Hiddemann
W
W
Rückle
H
H
Schlimok
G
G
Thiel
E
E
Andreesen
R
R
Fiedler
W
W
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003561:Cytarabine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004351:Drug Resistance; D005260:Female; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008942:Mitoxantrone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012074:Remission Induction; D015996:Survival Rate
D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D003561:Cytarabine; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor; D008942:Mitoxantrone