title: A phase II study of rituximab combined with pirarubicin-cyclophosphamide, vincristine and prednisolone regimen as first-line therapy for patients with indolent B-cell lymphoma.
abstract: The anthracycline drug pirarubicin (tetrahydropyranyl-adriamycin [THP]) apparently has been reported to show fewer cardiotoxic effects than doxorubicin. We have previously described the effectiveness of the R-THP-COP regimen comprising rituximab, cyclophosphamide, pirarubicin, vincristine and prednisolone in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. We conducted a phase II study to determine the effectiveness of a regimen incorporating rituximab (R-THP-COP) for patients with previously untreated advanced-stage indolent CD20-positive B-cell lymphoma according to the Working Formulation and World Health Organization classification. Four to six courses of the regimen were administered every 3 weeks in 50 patients. The complete remission rate was 57%, while the 3-year overall survival rate was 92%. Regimen-related death was not observed. The R-THP-COP regimen appears very effective for patients with previously untreated advanced-stage indolent CD20-positive B-cell lymphoma. The present results indicate the need for randomized trials of R-CHOP (rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisolone) and R-THP-COP among patients with CD20-positive indolent lymphoma.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Internal Medicine, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu, Japan. htsuru@.gifu-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Hisashi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tsurumi
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hara
authors.forename: Naoe
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Goto
authors.forename: Jun-Ichi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kitagawa
authors.forename: Nobuhiro
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kanemura
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yoshikawa
authors.forename: Senji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kasahara
authors.forename: Hideko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Goto
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fukuno
authors.forename: Toshiki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.forename: Michio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sawada
authors.forename: Masahito
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shimizu
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Tsuyoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takami
authors.forename: Hisataka
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Moriwaki
mesh_terms: D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D016393:Lymphoma, B-Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011379:Prognosis; D012074:Remission Induction; D000069283:Rituximab; D015996:Survival Rate; D014750:Vincristine / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D000069283:Rituximab; D014750:Vincristine; D004317:Doxorubicin; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D011239:Prednisolone; C027260:pirarubicin