title: A phase II study of a THP-COP regimen for the treatment of elderly patients aged 70 years or older with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.
abstract: Pirarubicin (tetrahydropyranyl adriamycin: THP) is an anthracycline drug that reportedly has fewer cardiotoxic effects than doxorubicin. A phase II study was conducted in order to determine the efficacy of a treatment regimen incorporating THP, namely THP-COP in the treatment of elderly patients aged 70 years or older with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). The treatment regimens for Group A (aged 70-79 years, n = 45) and Group B (aged 80 years or older, n = 16) consisted of cyclophosphamide, THP, vincristine, and prednisolone, repeated six times, every 3 weeks. The complete remission rate was 72.1%. The 5-year survival rate was 38.1%. For elderly patients with favourable prognostic factors, the 5-year survival rate was significantly better at 77.9% compared with 15.6% for patients with poor prognostic factors (p < 0.01). Death associated with the treatment regimen was not observed. We conclude that the THP-COP treatment regimen has fewer side effects and is very effective in the treatment of DLBCL in elderly patients, especially those with favourable prognostic factors. The present findings indicate the necessity of future studies investigating a combination therapy comprised of rituximab and THP-COP for the treatment of elderly patients with CD20-positive DLBCL.
authors: First Department of Internal Medicine, Gifu University School of Medicine, Gifu, Japan. htsuru@cc.gifu-ac.jp
authors: Hisashi
authors: H
authors: Tsurumi
authors: Takeshi
authors: T
authors: Hara
authors: Naoe
authors: N
authors: Goto
authors: Nobuhiro
authors: N
authors: Kanemura
authors: Senji
authors: S
authors: Kasahara
authors: Michio
authors: M
authors: Sawada
authors: Ichiro
authors: I
authors: Yasuda
authors: Toshiki
authors: T
authors: Yamada
authors: Masahito
authors: M
authors: Shimizu
authors: Tsuyoshi
authors: T
authors: Takami
authors: Hisataka
authors: H
authors: Moriwaki
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016403:Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000139:chemically induced; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011379:Prognosis; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014750:Vincristine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D014750:Vincristine; D004317:Doxorubicin; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D011239:Prednisolone