CHOP plus etoposide and gemcitabine (CHOP-EG) as front-line chemotherapy for patients with peripheral T cell lymphomas.
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.
Kim
Jong Gwang
JG
Department of Hematology/Oncology, Kyungpook National University Hospital, 50 Samduck 2-Ga, Jung-Gu, Daegu 700-721, South Korea.
Sohn
Sang Kyun
SK
Chae
Yee Soo
YS
Kim
Dong Hwan
DH
Baek
Jin Ho
JH
Lee
Kyu Bo
KB
Lee
Je-Jung
JJ
Chung
Ik-Joo
IJ
Kim
Hyeoung-Joon
HJ
Yang
Deok-Hwan
DH
Lee
Won-Sik
WS
Joo
Young-Don
YD
Sohn
Chang-Hak
CH
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
D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D014750:Vincristine; D005047:Etoposide; D004317:Doxorubicin; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D011241:Prednisone; D000093542:Gemcitabine