title: ESHAP salvage therapy for refractory and relapsed non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: a single center experience.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The ESHAP chemotherapy regimen, that is, the combination of the etoposide, methylprednisolone, high-dose cytarabine and cisplatin, has been shown to be active against relapsing or refractory non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) in previous therapeutic trials. We attempted to determine whether ESHAP therapy would be effective and well-tolerated in Korean patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty two patients with refractory or relapsed NHLs (all aggressive types) were enrolled in this study. We retrospectively evaluated the treatment response, the survival rate and the time to progression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Six patients (27.3%) attained complete remission and eight patients (36.4%) attained partial remission. The overall response rate was 63.6%. The median survival duration was 15.5 months (95% confidence interval; 10.7 to 20.3 months), and the median duration of the time to progression was 8.3 months (95% confidence interval; 0.3 to 16.3 months). Myelosuppression was the major toxicity, but severe neutropenia or thrombocytopenia was rare, and renal toxicity was also infrequent.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ESHAP regimen is effective in Korean patients suffering with relapsed or refractory NHLs, but a more effective salvage modality is needed because of the short duration of remission and the insignificant impact on long-term survival.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Sang Hyoung
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Shin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Ok Bae
authors.initials: OB
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.forename: Ja Eun
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Koo
authors.forename: Danbi
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Yong Pil
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.forename: Jooryung
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Huh
authors.forename: Sung-Bae
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sang We
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jae-Lyun
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Cheolwon
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Suh
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003561:Cytarabine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D018450:Disease Progression; D005047:Etoposide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D011241:Prednisone; D016879:Salvage Therapy; D016019:Survival Analysis; D017211:Treatment Failure
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D003561:Cytarabine; D005047:Etoposide; D002945:Cisplatin; D011241:Prednisone; D008775:Methylprednisolone