Weekly administration of vincristine, cyclophosphamide, mitoxantrone and bleomycin (VEMB) in the treatment of elderly aggressive non Hodgkin's lymphoma. Gruppo Italiano per lo Studio dei Linfomi.
OBJECTIVE
Aim of the study was to assess the efficacy of VEMB, a short-lasting therapeutic regimen (50 days) which alternates two myelotoxic drugs (cyclophosphamide and mitoxantrone) every week with two less hematologically toxic drugs (vincristine and bleomycin) in the treatment of aggressive NHL in the elderly (over 70).


METHODS
Between November 1994 and March 1996, 37 patients aged more than 70 years, with highly or moderately malignant NHL (according to the Working Formulation) have been enrolled into the study. The stage of the disease ranged between II and IV according to Ann Arbor. Mean age was 77 years; 14 patients (38%) had stage IV; 19 patients (51%) had LDH higher than normal; 26 patients (70%) had extranodal and 9 patients (24%) had bulky disease at time of diagnosis.


RESULTS
Sixty-two percent of patients achieved a complete and 22% a partial remission. Non-responders amounted to 5%. Four patients (11%) died during the therapy. Nine patients (24%) experienced grade III-IV neutropenia. The most frequently observed event was mild neurotoxicity (43% of cases). The overall survival rate at 30 months was 55%. DFS at 24 months was 66%.


CONCLUSIONS
VEMB is a therapeutic regimen whose efficacy is comparable to that of the other derived MACOP-B therapeutic regimens used in the elderly NHL. It has proved to have a good feasibility, though the number of toxic deaths should not be neglected.
Merli
F
F
Divisione di Medicina Interna, Azienda Ospedaliera ASMN, Reggio Emilia, Italy.
Federico
M
M
Avanzini
P
P
Ilariucci
F
F
Stelitano
C
C
Iannitto
E
E
Colombi
M
M
Vallisa
D
D
Santagati
G
G
Picinini
L
L
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001761:Bleomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use / Q000633:toxicity; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use / Q000633:toxicity; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000145:classification / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D008942:Mitoxantrone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use / Q000633:toxicity; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014750:Vincristine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use / Q000633:toxicity
D001761:Bleomycin; D014750:Vincristine; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D008942:Mitoxantrone