Treatment for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (stage I, II) of the elderly: usefulness of local and regional irradiation and reduced dose chemotherapy.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the usefulness and safety of a new treatment regimen consisting of irradiation to the involved area and adjacent lymph node area, and reduced dose chemotherapy for elderly patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.


METHODS
The core of this study was 38 elderly patients older than 65 years old with intermediate or high grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and concomitantly suffering from some other geriatric disease. They received involved area irradiation (40 Gy), adjacent lymph node irradiation (30 Gy), and reduced dose chemotherapy (two cycles of 50-70% ACOP: Doxorubicin, Cyclosphosphamide, Vincristine, Prednisone or 70% MACOP-B: Doxorubicin, Cyclophosphamide, Vincristine, Methotrexate, Bleomycin, Prednisone for 4 weeks).


RESULTS
The completion rate of the treatment regimen was 100%. The 5-year local control rate was 98%. The 5-year disease-free survival rate and the 5-year cause-specific survival rate for all patients were 70 and 82%, respectively. No treatment deaths were observed, and the rate of serious complications arising from the treatment was 3%.


CONCLUSIONS
The newly conducted treatment regimen proved to be safe and useful for elderly patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma concomitantly suffering from some other geriatric disease.
Oguchi
M
M
Department of Radiology, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Japan.
Izuno
I
I
Takei
K
K
Shikama
N
N
Sasaki
S
S
Gomi
K
K
Sone
S
S
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001761:Bleomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D002955:Leucovorin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D008297:Male; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000008:administration & dosage; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011241:Prednisone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012008:Recurrence; D015996:Survival Rate; D014750:Vincristine / Q000008:administration & dosage
D001761:Bleomycin; D014750:Vincristine; D004317:Doxorubicin; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D011239:Prednisolone; D002955:Leucovorin; D011241:Prednisone; D008727:Methotrexate