title: Randomized study for the treatment of adult advanced Hodgkin's disease: epirubicin, vinblastine, bleomycin, and dacarbazine (EVBD) versus mitoxantrone, vinblastine, bleomycin, and dacarbazine (MVBD).
abstract: Seventy patients with previously untreated advanced Hodgkin's disease and without bulky disease were entered in a prospective randomized clinical trial comparing epirubicin in combination with vinblastine, bleomycin, and dacarbazine (EVBD) with a regimen containing mitoxantrone, vinblastine, bleomycin, and dacarbazine (MVBD). Both groups were comparable for the variables of age, sex, stage, and presence of B symptoms and histology. Thirty-one (88%) of EVBD-treated patients achieved a pathologically documented complete remission (CR) compared to the 24 cases (68%) of the MVBD-treated group. After a median follow-up of 36 months, duration of CR is better in the EVBD-treated patients with an actuarial 5-year duration of CR of 80%, statistically different to the MVBD group: 53% (P < 0.01). Both regimens showed the same gastrointestinal toxicity, but the patients treated with the MVBD regimen shown most and severe hematological and cardiac toxicities. Also, biochemical alterations in hepatic test were observed in these patients. The alternative use of epirubicin in combination chemotherapy appears to be as effective in advanced Hodgkin's disease without bulky disease, with reduced clinical toxicity. Mitoxantrone containing regimen was not found to have an equivalent efficacy and clinical toxicity was most frequent and severe. We felt that mitoxantrone could be consider a second-line drug in the treatment of advanced Hodgkin's disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, Oncology Hospital, National Medical Center, Mexico, D.F., Mexico.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Avilés
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Guzmán
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Talavera
authors.forename: E L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: García
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Díaz-Maqueo
mesh_terms: D000206:Actuarial Analysis; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000380:Agranulocytosis / Q000139:chemically induced; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001761:Bleomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / Q000209:etiology; D003606:Dacarbazine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D015251:Epirubicin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006689:Hodgkin Disease / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008942:Mitoxantrone / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000139:chemically induced; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left / Q000187:drug effects; D014747:Vinblastine / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D001761:Bleomycin; D015251:Epirubicin; D014747:Vinblastine; D003606:Dacarbazine; D008942:Mitoxantrone