title: Treatment of lymphoblastic lymphoma in adults.
abstract: Forty-four adult patients with lymphoblastic lymphoma (LBL) were treated according to one of two protocols. Both included (1) induction with cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisone, and L-asparaginase; (2) CNS prophylaxis; and (3) maintenance therapy with methotrexate (MTX) and 6-mercaptopurine. In the second protocol, CNS prophylaxis began earlier than in the first protocol and included cranial irradiation and intrathecal (IT) MTX rather than simultaneous high-dose systemic and IT MTX. The overall response rate was 100% (95% complete). With a 26-month median follow-up, the 1-and 3-year actuarial freedom from relapse (FFR) for the composite patient group was 70% and 56%, respectively. The incidence of CNS relapse was reduced from 31% in the first protocol to 3% in the second protocol (P = .04, Gehan). Patients can be assigned retrospectively to low (n = 19) and high (n = 25) risk prognostic groups, as indicated by a multivariate analysis of pretreatment prognostic factors. High-risk is defined by Ann Arbor stage IV disease with bone marrow or CNS involvement or initial serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) concentration of greater than 300 IU/L (normal, less than 200). FFR of low- and high-risk groups at 5 years are 94% and 19%, respectively (P = .0006). Low-risk patients are highly curable using this approach to adult LBL. More intensive treatment for high-risk patients is warranted.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000097:blood; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy; D008297:Male; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010641:Phenotype; D011379:Prognosis; D012306:Risk; D013118:Spinal Cord Diseases / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase