title: Role of high-dose therapy and initial response in survival of poor-risk patients with aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: a retrospective series on 126 patients from a single center.
abstract: It is now established that a subgroup of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) patients probably benefit from high-dose therapy (HDT). We therefore retrospectively analyzed survival of 126 consecutive patients with large cell lymphoma (LCL) and high-intermediate (HI) or high-risk (H) age-adjusted international prognostic index (Aa-IPI). They received either standard chemotherapy (CT) (66 patients), or HDT (60 patients). Distribution of the Aa-IPI scores showed no statistical significant difference between the two treatment groups. Complete response (CR) rate was 51% for the whole series, with 41% and 62% for the standard CT group and HDT group, respectively. With a median follow-up of 63 months (range, 16 to 159), the 5-year overall survival (OS) and event-free survival (EFS) for all patients was 52% and 43%, respectively. There was a statistical significant difference in terms of survival towards the HDT group: OS at 76% vs 31%, EFS at 64% vs 24%. Patients who achieved CR with front-line therapy had a 5-year OS at 70%, while it was 34% for patients who were not in CR. These results are comparable to those reported in the literature, and strongly suggest that both initial CR achievement and HDT as front-line treatment are predictive factors for prolonged survival of patients with poor-risk LCL. Bone Marrow Transplantation (2000) 25, 35-40.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, Institut Paoli-Calmettes, Regional Cancer Center-Université de la Méditerranée, Marseille, France.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bouabdallah
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Coso
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Costello
authors.forename: V J
authors.initials: VJ
authors.lastname: Bardou
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Blaise
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xerri
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sainty
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Maraninchi
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Gastaut
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004361:Drug Tolerance; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis