title: First-line ifosfamide, methotrexate, etoposide and prednisolone chemotherapy +/- radiotherapy is active in stage I/II extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma.
abstract: Although most patients diagnosed with extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma (NTCL) have localized disease, radiotherapy alone is unsatisfactory because of frequent systemic failure and conventional doxorubicin-based chemotherapy has low efficacy. Twenty-six patients with NTCL received ifosfamide, methotrexate, etoposide and prednisolone (IMEP) chemotherapy as first-line treatment [ifosfamide 1.5 g/m2 (days 1 - 3), methotrexate 30 mg/m2 (days 3 and 10), etoposide 100 mg/m2 (days 1 - 3) and prednisolone 120 mg (days 1 - 5)]. Radiotherapy was administered only to patients with Ann Arbor stage I/II that had not achieved complete remission (CR) or to those that developed local failure after completing chemotherapy. Sixteen patients (group A) had nasal or upper aerodigestive tract localization (stage I/II) and 10 (group B) had extranasal or disseminated disease. Of the 14 evaluable patients in group A, 11 (79%) achieved CR after IMEP alone and 13 (93%) after chemotherapy +/- additional radiotherapy. Although, out of the 11 patients who achieved CR with chemotherapy alone, seven developed recurrence, all recurrences were local failure and successfully treated by additional curative radiotherapy. However, patients in group B responded poorly (CR 13%). IMEP regimen was active in NTCL patients with nasal or upper aerodigestive tract localization. Considering local failure rate after IMEP alone, initial IMEP chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy may be a promising treatment strategy in this subset of NTCL.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Cancer Research Institute, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Chongno-Gu, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Keun-Wook
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Tak
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yun
authors.forename: Dong-Wan
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Seock-Ah
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Im
authors.forename: Tae-You
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sung-Soo
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: Dae Seog
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Heo
authors.forename: Yung-Jue
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Bang
authors.forename: Seonyang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Byoung Kook
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Noe Kyeong
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005047:Etoposide / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007069:Ifosfamide / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016399:Lymphoma, T-Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D008297:Male; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012074:Remission Induction; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D005047:Etoposide; D011239:Prednisolone; D007069:Ifosfamide; D008727:Methotrexate