title: [Preliminary outcome for patients with relapsed or resistant advanced non-Hodgkin's lymphoma treated by EPOCH regimen].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In the management of relapsed or refractory non-Hodgkin's lymphoma(NHL), there is still no standard salvage chemotherapy regimen so far. Potentiation of effectiveness and reduction of toxicity for some anti-cancer agents through continuous intravenous infusion were shown in some pre-clinical and clinical studies. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of EPOCH regimen.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective phase II study of EPOCH regimen (doxorubicin/epirubicin,vincristine,etoposide over 96 hours infusion with bolus cyclophosphamade and oral prednisone) was administered to 26 patients with relapsed or refractory/resistant aggressive NHL. There were 20 patients (84.7%) among them treated by over 2 kinds of chemotherapy regimen with median regimen types of 2 (range,1-6 types) and median chemotherapy cycles of 8 (range,3-16 cycles) given for all patients. Fifteen patients (65.7%) were chemo-resistant recurrence.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All the 26 patients were assessable. The response rate for the whole group was 50.0% with complete remission (CR) rate of 19.2%. Among the 7 patients with T-cell lymphoma and the 19 patients with B-cell lymphoma, the response rates were 28.6% and 57.9%,respectively. Major toxicity was myelosuppression with 34.8% and 8.7%incidence of grade III-IV neutropenia and thrombocytopenia respectively in all 46 cycles of EPOCH. Other toxicities were mild.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  EPOCH was effective for the patients with relapsed or refractory/resistant aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Continuous infusion schedules of several chemotherapeutic agents may partially reverse chemo-resistance and reduce toxicity. EPOCH can be used as standard salvage regimen. Further clinical study is warranted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou,Guangdong, PR China. huanghq@pub.guangzhou.gd.cn
authors.forename: Hui-Qiang
authors.initials: HQ
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Wen-Qi
authors.initials: WQ
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Zhong-Mei
authors.initials: ZM
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Zhong-Jun
authors.initials: ZJ
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.forename: Xu-Bin
authors.initials: XB
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Yu-Hong
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Rui-Hua
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Guang-Chuan
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Xiao-Fei
authors.initials: XF
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Dong-Geng
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: You-Jian
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Zhong-Zhen
authors.initials: ZZ
authors.lastname: Guan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / 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; D006801:Humans; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011241:Prednisone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012008:Recurrence; D016879:Salvage Therapy; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014750:Vincristine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D014750:Vincristine; D005047:Etoposide; D004317:Doxorubicin; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D011241:Prednisone