title: VNCOP-B plus rituximab therapy in elderly patients with aggressive B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma: a multicenter experience.
abstract: CHOP (cyclophosphamide, adriamycin, vincristine, and prednisolone) plus rituximab is a standard chemotherapy used to treat patients with aggressive B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (B-NHL). However, among elderly patients, this regimen has not been completely satisfactory in its efficacy and safety. We report our clinical experience in 8 collaborative institutions to determine if the VNCOP-B (etoposide, mitoxantrone, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, prednisolone, and bleomycin) combination therapy plus rituximab was effective and safe to treat elderly patients with aggressive B-NHL. Between September 2004 and December 2007, 23 previously untreated patients, median age 73 years, 50.0% classified as high-intermediate/high-risk on the standard International Prognostic Index (IPI) entered this trial. Complete remission rate was 90.5%, with a 100% overall response rate (RR) at the end of induction therapy; overall survival (OS) rate at 3 years was 76.4% (median follow-up 744 days), with an 82.6% 3-year progression-free survival (PFS) rate (median follow-up 744 days). The most common grade 3/4 toxicities were hematologic, including neutropenia in 75.0% of the patients despite prophylactic administration of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), febrile neutropenia in 30.0%, respectively. There was no treatment-related mortality (TRM). Rituximab not only combined with chemotherapy but also given sequentially improved survival. R-VNCOP-B could be another option for elderly patients who are not considered to tolerate in receiving R-CHOP.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, Kishiwada City Hospital, 1001 Gakuhara-cho, Kishiwada City, Osaka 596-8501, Japan. ishiikaz@silver.ocn.ne.jp
authors.forename: Kazuyoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ishii
authors.forename: Fumiaki
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Urase
authors.forename: Yasuaki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nagare
authors.forename: Hidetsugu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Manabe
authors.forename: Toshiya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yagi
authors.forename: Hirofumi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Teshima
authors.forename: Kunio
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hayashi
authors.forename: Masaru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shibano
authors.forename: Machiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tsukaguchi
authors.forename: Tatsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Katsurada
authors.forename: Atsuko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mugitani
authors.forename: Hitoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kitayama
authors.forename: Shosaku
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nomura
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001761:Bleomycin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005047:Etoposide / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D016393:Lymphoma, B-Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D008942:Mitoxantrone / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000139:chemically induced; D011241:Prednisone / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012074:Remission Induction; D000069283:Rituximab; D014750:Vincristine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D001761:Bleomycin; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor; D000069283:Rituximab; D014750:Vincristine; D005047:Etoposide; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D008942:Mitoxantrone; D011241:Prednisone