[Efficacy of short-term and intensive chemotherapy for the treatment of childhood and adolescent B cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of the B-NHL-BFM-90 protocol in the treatment of Chinese childhood and adolescent B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (B-NHL).


METHODS
Forty-two untreated childhood and adolescent B-NHL were enrolled in the present study. Of them 18 cases were Burkitt's lymphoma, 16 diffuse large B cell lymphoma and 8 anaplastic lymphoma. There were 10 cases in stage II and 32 in stage III/IV. The patients were grouped by risk factors into low, medium and high risk groups. All patients were treated with the B-NHL-BFM 90 (Berlin-Frankfurt- Münster) protocol. The low risk group received A, B courses for 4 cycles, the medium risk group AA, BB courses for 6 cycles, and the high risk group AA, BB, CC courses for 6 cycles.


RESULTS
Complete remission (CR) was obtained in 37 patients (88%), and partial remission (PR) in 5 (12%). Of the 5 PR patients, I received autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, 3 received radiotherapy for residual disease and 1 just under watching. Major toxicity was myelosuppression and mucositis, especially in AA, BB and CC cycles, but was tolerant and manageable. Median follow-up was 20 (4 - 89) months. Kaplan-Meier method was used to analyse survival data. Two year event free survival (EFS) for all patients was 86. 24%, being 100% for stage II and 80.95% for stage III/IV.


CONCLUSIONS
Short term and intensive chemotherapy can improves the efficacy and survival rate of childhood and adolescent B-NHL, especially for advanced stage patients.
Sun
Xiao-Fei
XF
Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510060, China.
Liu
Dong-Geng
DG
Zhen
Zi-Jun
ZJ
Chen
Xizo-Qing
XQ
Xia
Yi
Y
Wang
Zhi-Hui
ZH
He
You-Jian
YJ
Guan
Zhong-Geng
ZG
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D016393:Lymphoma, B-Cell / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome