2-Chlorodeoxyadenosine is an active salvage therapy in advanced indolent non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the response rate to 2-chlorodeoxyadenosine (2-CdA; cladribine) in patients with advanced indolent non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) who fail to respond to or progress after a response to standard chemotherapy drugs.


METHODS
Twenty-one patients were treated with at least one cycle of 2-CdA 0.1 mg/kg/d by continuous infusion for 5 or 7 days.


RESULTS
The overall response rate (complete response [CR] and partial response [PR]) was nine of 21 patients (43%; 95% confidence interval, 22% to 64%). Unmaintained durable responses (longest follow-up, 29+ months) have been observed. The treatment was well tolerated by all patients. The major toxicity was related to myelosuppression (predominantly neutropenia) and immunosuppression with infection.


CONCLUSIONS
The purine analog 2-CdA is an active salvage therapy in pretreated patients with indolent NHL, and deserves further assessment in untreated patients and in combination with other chemotherapy agents.
Hoffman
M
M
Long Island Jewish Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New Hyde Park, NY 11042.
Tallman
M S
MS
Hakimian
D
D
Janson
D
D
Hogan
D
D
Variakogis
D
D
Kuzel
T
T
Gordon
L I
LI
Rai
K
K
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017338:Cladribine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016879:Salvage Therapy; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D017338:Cladribine