Klin Onkol 2002; 15(5): 186-188.
Summary:
Background: Prognosis of lymphoma patients with resistant or relapsing disease is very poor. In this cohort of patients, we analyzed the anti-tumor activity and toxicity of mini Dexa BEAM regimen, administered as the second salvage chemotherapy after regimens containing etoposide and ifosfamide.
Patients and methods: 45 patients (NHL, n=26, and Hodgkin’s disease HD, n=19), initially treated mostly with CHOP or ABVD, received for relapsing or resistant disease MINE (NHL, mesna, ifosfamide, mitoxantron, etoposide) or VIM (HD, etoposide, ifosfamide, methotrexate) ± G-CSF as a salvage and/or PBSC mobilizing therapy. When insufficient therapeutic response occurred, the patients were administered mini Dexa BEAM chemotherapy: dexamethason 3x8 mg/day, days 1-10; carmustine 60 mg/m2 iv., day 1; etoposide 75 mg/m2/day iv., days 2-5; cytosine arabinoside 2x100 mg/m2 iv./day, days 2-5; and melphalan 30 mg/m2 iv., day 6.
Results: Therapeutic responses after mini Dexa BEAM chemotherapy were 8 % CR and 4% PR for NHL patients, and 35% CR and 35% PR for HD patients, respectively. This chemotherapy was accompanied by predominantly hematological toxicity, which were in some cases severe, but manageable. Other toxic effects were mild or none.
Conclusion: Chemotherapy mini Dexa BEAM as the second salvage regimen is quite effective in HD patients. In NHL patients, however, its activity is disappointing. The prognosis of progressing HNL patients is exceptionally poor (7 % PR, 0 % CR).
