title: A weekly alternating chemotherapy regimen with low toxicity for the treatment of aggressive lymphoma.
abstract: A total of 50 consecutive adult patients with newly diagnosed aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma were treated with a weekly alternating combination chemotherapy schedule, BEMOP/CA, including bleomycin, etoposide, methotrexate, vincristine, cyclophosphamide and Adriamycin. Two-thirds of the patients were over 60 years old or had stage 4 disease. Clinical remission was achieved in 56% of cases. The 3-year survival is 53% (95% confidence interval, 39-66%). The presence of B symptoms and a serum albumin value of <33 g/l at presentation were poor prognostic indicators for survival in a multivariate proportional-hazards model. Overall, the response rate and survival for this group of patients with intermediate- and high-grade lymphomas is similar to results previously reported. The BEMOP/CA treatment was brief (16 weeks) and associated with a low fatal toxicity (one early death and one late fatality from Pneumocystis pneumonia), and the drug costs are equivalent to those for eight cycles of CHOP.
authors.affiliation: Medical Oncology Unit, Charing Cross Hospital, London, UK.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bower
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Brock
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gulliford
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: O'Reilly
authors.forename: D B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: E S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Newlands
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000931:Antidotes / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001761:Bleomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005047:Etoposide / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D002955:Leucovorin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D012074:Remission Induction; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014750:Vincristine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; D000931:Antidotes; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D001761:Bleomycin; D014750:Vincristine; D005047:Etoposide; D004317:Doxorubicin; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D002955:Leucovorin; D008727:Methotrexate