title: Long-term remission of children with relapsed and secondary anaplastic large cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (ALCL) following treatment with pulsed dexamethasone and low dose etoposide.
abstract: Anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) accounts for approximately 15% of childhood NHL. Relapsed ALCL represents a formidable challenge because outcome is poor despite the use of high-dose chemotherapy regimens. We report two patients with relapsed T-type and 0-type ALCL who achieved long-term 3rd and 4th remissions with 4-weekly oral dexamethasone (DEX) and etoposide pulses for 2 years. This regimen also induced and maintained remission in a third patient with Nijmegen breakage syndrome (NBS) with secondary T-type ALCL. These patients demonstrate that low-intensity oral chemotherapy can induce long-term remissions and offer a curative perspective in refractory, relapsed and secondary ALCL.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology and Immunology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Clemens
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Stockklausner
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Behnisch
authors.forename: Gunhild
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mechtersheimer
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Möller
authors.forename: Andreas E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Kulozik
mesh_terms: D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005047:Etoposide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D017728:Lymphoma, Large-Cell, Anaplastic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012008:Recurrence; D012074:Remission Induction
chemical_list: D005047:Etoposide; D003907:Dexamethasone