title: CHOP plus etoposide and gemcitabine (CHOP-EG) as front-line chemotherapy for patients with peripheral T cell lymphomas.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The present study evaluated the feasibility of CHOP (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone) plus etoposide and gemcitabine (CHOP-EG) as front-line chemotherapy in patients with peripheral T cell lymphomas (PTCLs).
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-six patients with newly diagnosed PTCLs were enrolled into the pilot study. Treatment consisted of classical CHOP plus etoposide 100 mg/m(2) intravenously (i.v.) on day 1 and gemcitabine 600 mg/m(2) i.v. on day 1 in a 3 week interval.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifteen complete responses (CR, 57.7%) or one unconfirmed complete response (uCR, 3.8%) and four partial responses (PR, 15.4%) were confirmed, giving an overall response rate of 76.9% (95% CI, 58.3-96.3%). Median survival has not yet been reached, while median event free survival was 215 days at a median follow-up duration of 383 days. Estimated overall survival at 1 year was 69.6%. The most severe haematological adverse event was neutropaenia, which occurred with a grade 4 intensity in 14 patients (53.8%). Additionally, febrile neutropaenia was observed in four patients (15.4%). However, there was no treatment-related death.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The CHOP-EG regimen was found to be feasible in patients with PTCLs. For further investigation on the role of gemcitabine in the treatment of PTCLs, a more large scale phase II or phase III study is warranted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology/Oncology, Kyungpook National University Hospital, 50 Samduck 2-Ga, Jung-Gu, Daegu 700-721, South Korea.
authors.forename: Jong Gwang
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sang Kyun
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Sohn
authors.forename: Yee Soo
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Chae
authors.forename: Dong Hwan
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jin Ho
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Baek
authors.forename: Kyu Bo
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Je-Jung
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Ik-Joo
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Hyeoung-Joon
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Deok-Hwan
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Won-Sik
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Young-Don
authors.initials: YD
authors.lastname: Joo
authors.forename: Chang-Hak
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Sohn
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005047:Etoposide / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016411:Lymphoma, T-Cell, Peripheral / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011241:Prednisone / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015996:Survival Rate; D014750:Vincristine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000093542:Gemcitabine
chemical_list: D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D014750:Vincristine; D005047:Etoposide; D004317:Doxorubicin; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D011241:Prednisone; D000093542:Gemcitabine