Recent National Cancer Institute lymphoma trials of etoposide-containing combination chemotherapy

Semin Oncol. 1992 Dec;19(6 Suppl 13):26-32.

Abstract

Short-course prednisone/doxorubicin/cyclophospha- mide/etoposide-cytarabine/bleomycin/vincristine/methotrexate (ProMACE-CytaBOM) contains the same drugs as standard ProMACE-CytaBOM but is delivered weekly for 16 weeks rather than 2 weeks out of 3 for 18 weeks. This results in a significant increase in dose intensity, ranging from 27% to 65% for all drugs. A total of 46 patients have been treated with short-course ProMACE-CytaBOM. The overall complete response rate of 91% and relapse rate of 17% compares favorably with results obtained using standard ProMACE-CytaBOM (86% and 27%, respectively). Toxicity was slightly greater with short-course therapy, but in general the regimen was well tolerated. Further dose intensification is possible in eligible patients by dose escalating myelotoxic drugs. A second strategy for augmenting the dose intensity is to deliver the drugs by continuous intravenous infusion. Infusional chemotherapy with doxorubicin/etoposide/vincristine/oral prednisone/bolus cyclophosphamide (EPOCH) results in significant antitumor activity in heavily pretreated patients with chemotherapy-resistant Hodgkin's disease and non-Hodgkin's lymphomas. Complete responses or partial responses were seen in 91% of 21 evaluable patients.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / therapeutic use*
  • Bleomycin / administration & dosage
  • Clinical Trials as Topic
  • Cyclophosphamide / administration & dosage
  • Cytarabine / administration & dosage
  • Doxorubicin / administration & dosage
  • Etoposide / administration & dosage*
  • Humans
  • Lymphoma / drug therapy*
  • Methotrexate / administration & dosage
  • National Institutes of Health (U.S.)
  • Prednisone / administration & dosage
  • United States
  • Vincristine / administration & dosage

Substances

  • Cytarabine
  • Bleomycin
  • Vincristine
  • Etoposide
  • Doxorubicin
  • Cyclophosphamide
  • Prednisone
  • Methotrexate

Supplementary concepts

  • EPOCH protocol
  • PROMACE-CytaBOM protocol