Improved treatment outcome in Chinese children and adolescents with Burkitt's lymphoma and large cell lymphoma by using the modified B-non-Hodgkin's lymphoma-Berlin-Frankfurt-Münster-90 protocol.
OBJECTIVE
This study was designed to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of the modified B-Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma (NHL)-Berlin-Frankfurt-Münster (BFM)-90-based protocol in Chinese children and adolescents with Burkitt's lymphoma and large cell lymphoma.


METHODS
From September 1997 to August 2005, 55 untreated patients (age less than 20 yr) from a single institution were enrolled. The patients were stratified by risk factors (stage, LDH level and chemotherapy response). All patients were treated with a modified B-NHL-BFM 90 protocol.


RESULTS
The median age of the patients was 8 yr (range 1.5-20 yr). Of these patients, 22 (40%) had Burkitt's lymphoma (BKL), 22 (40%) had diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBL) and 11 (20%) had anaplastic large T-cell lymphoma (ALCL). Complete remission (CR) occurred in 45 patients (83%), partial remission (PR) in eight patients (14.5%), and progressive disease (PD) in one patient (1.8%). At a median follow up of 24 months, the event free survival (EFS) for all patients was 85% +/- 5% with 100% for group R1, 84% +/- 7% for group R2 and 72% +/- 13% for group R3, and most notably, 80% +/- 6% for stage III/IV at diagnosis. There was no statistically significant difference (P = 0.96) in EFS among BKL and DLBL and ALCL. The major toxicity complications were myelosuppression and mucositis, but these conditions were tolerated and manageable.


CONCLUSIONS
This modified NHL-BFM-90 protocol is very effective for Chinese children and adolescents with BKL and large cell lymphomas, and represented an increase in the cure rates in childhood NHL in China.
Sun
Xiao-Fei
XF
Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China. gzsunxf@yahoo.com.cn
Zhen
Zi-Jun
ZJ
Lui
Dong-Gen
DG
Xia
Yi
Y
He
You-Jian
YJ
Wang
Zhi-Hui
ZH
Lin
Jia-Yu
JY
Guan
Zhong-Zhen
ZZ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D001215:Asparaginase / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D002051:Burkitt Lymphoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002681:China; D003630:Daunorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D016403:Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D016399:Lymphoma, T-Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D052016:Mucositis / Q000139:chemically induced; D011241:Prednisone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014750:Vincristine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects
D014750:Vincristine; D001215:Asparaginase; D011241:Prednisone; D003630:Daunorubicin