Effective treatment of indolent non-hodgkin's lymphomas with mitoxantrone, chlorambucil and prednisone.
Since indolent non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHL) represent about 35% of all malignant lymphomas and mainly affect elderly patients, availability of a conventional chemotherapy regimen with high efficacy and low toxicity is of clinical importance.


METHODS
We retrospectively analysed 13 patients with advanced indolent NHL who were treated with 6-9 cycles of MCP: mitoxantrone 8 mg/m2 (days 1 and 2), chlorambucil 3 x 3 mg/m2 (days 1-5) and prednisone 25 mg (days 1-5) every 4 weeks.


RESULTS
The overall response was 84% (61% complete response, 23% partial response), 1 patient had stable disease and 1 patient experienced progressive disease. Median time to progression was 37 months (95% CI: 20-53) and the median survival has not yet been reached. The main toxicity (66%) was neutropenia (WHO grade III). There was no hair loss and no cardial or neurologic adverse event.


CONCLUSIONS
In summary, MCP is an effective and well tolerated chemotherapy regimen and is probably an alternative to the more toxic CHOP regimen, especially in older patients.
Wöhrer
Stefan
S
Department of Medicine I, Clinical Division of Oncology, University Hospital Vienna, Austria.
Raderer
Markus
M
Kaufmann
Hannes
H
Hejna
Michael
M
Chott
Andreas
A
Zielinski
Christoph C
CC
Drach
Johannes
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D002699:Chlorambucil / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008942:Mitoxantrone / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000139:chemically induced; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D002699:Chlorambucil; D011239:Prednisolone; D008942:Mitoxantrone