Long-term follow-up after fludarabine treatment in pretreated patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
OBJECTIVE
A study update to assess long-term survival following fludarabine salvage treatment in previously treated patients with chronic lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL).


METHODS
From September 1992 to December 1995, 74 patients with advanced, relapsing B-cell CLL were enrolled in the study. Fludarabine was given for 5 consecutive days at the dose of 25 mg/m2/day in a 30 min infusion. Treatment was repeated every 28 days for a maximum of 6 courses.E RESULTS. Nineteen (26%) patients achieved a complete response (CR) and 20 (27%) patients had a partial response (PR), giving an overall response rate of 53%. The median overall survival was 68 months, and there was a strong negative correlation with the number of previous treatments. The median time to progression was 18 months for patients who achieved a CR and 12 months for those with a PR.


CONCLUSIONS
The results obtained with fludarabine alone in this subset of CLL patients indicate the existence of a conspicuous disease-free survival period. This time window could be used to consolidate the initial response with either biological approaches or high-dose therapeutic strategies such as autologous bone marrow transplantation, with the aim of eventual eradication of the disease.
Zinzani
P L
PL
Istituto di Ematologia e Oncologia Medica "Seràgnoli", Policlinico S. Orsola, Via Massarenti 9, 40121 Bologna, Italy. plzinzo@med.unibo.it
Bendandi
M
M
Magagnoli
M
M
Albertini
P
P
Rondelli
D
D
Stefoni
V
V
Tani
M
M
Tura
S
S
D000206:Actuarial Analysis; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000592:standards; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015451:Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016879:Salvage Therapy; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014740:Vidarabine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000592:standards
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D014740:Vidarabine; C024352:fludarabine