{"title":"Rituximab Combined With MACOP-B or VACOP-B and Radiation Therapy in Primary Mediastinal Large B-Cell Lymphoma: A Retrospective Study","authors":"Pier Luigi Zinzani , Vittorio Stefoni , Erica Finolezzi , Ercole Brusamolino , Maria Giuseppina Cabras , Annalisa Chiappella , Flavia Salvi , Andrea Rossi , Alessandro Broccoli , Maurizio Martelli","doi":"10.3816/CLM.2009.n.074","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>Third-generation regimens (MACOP-B [methotrexate/leucovorin (LV)/doxorubicin/cyclophosphamide/vincristine/prednisone/bleomycin] or VACOP-B [etoposide/LV/doxorubicin/cyclophosphamide/vincristine/prednisone/bleomycin]) in combination with local radiation therapy seem to improve lymphoma-free survival of primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma (PMLBCL). Recently, the superiority of R-CHOP (rituximab plus cyclophosphamide/doxorubicin/vincristine/prednisone) over CHOP-like regimens has been demonstrated in elderly and younger patients with low-risk diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.</p></div><div><h3>Patients and Methods</h3><p>Retrospectively, between February 2002 and July 2006, 45 previously untreated patients with PMLBCL were treated with a combination of a third-generation chemotherapy regimen (MACOP-B or VACOP-B), concurrent rituximab, and mediastinal radiation therapy.</p></div><div><h3>Results</h3><p>Twenty-six (62%) patients achieved a complete response (CR), and 15 (36%) obtained a partial response after MACOP-B/VACOP-B plus rituximab. After radiation therapy, the CR rate was 80%. At a median follow-up of 28 months, among the 34 patients who obtained a CR, 3 relapsed after 16, 19, and 22 months, respectively. Projected overall survival was 80% at 5 years; the relapse-free survival (RFS) curve of the 34 patients who achieved CR was 88% at 5 years.</p></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><p>In this retrospective study, in patients with PMLBCL, combined-modality treatment using the MACOP-B/VACOP-B regimen plus rituximab induces a high remission rate, with patients having a > 80% chance of surviving relapse free at 5 years. In comparison with historical data on MACOP-B/VACOP-B without rituximab, there are no statistically significant differences in terms of CR and RFS rates.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":100272,"journal":{"name":"Clinical Lymphoma and Myeloma","volume":"9 5","pages":"Pages 381-385"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0000,"publicationDate":"2009-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.3816/CLM.2009.n.074","citationCount":"85","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Clinical Lymphoma and Myeloma","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1557919011700221","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"","JCRName":"","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 85
Abstract
Background
Third-generation regimens (MACOP-B [methotrexate/leucovorin (LV)/doxorubicin/cyclophosphamide/vincristine/prednisone/bleomycin] or VACOP-B [etoposide/LV/doxorubicin/cyclophosphamide/vincristine/prednisone/bleomycin]) in combination with local radiation therapy seem to improve lymphoma-free survival of primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma (PMLBCL). Recently, the superiority of R-CHOP (rituximab plus cyclophosphamide/doxorubicin/vincristine/prednisone) over CHOP-like regimens has been demonstrated in elderly and younger patients with low-risk diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.
Patients and Methods
Retrospectively, between February 2002 and July 2006, 45 previously untreated patients with PMLBCL were treated with a combination of a third-generation chemotherapy regimen (MACOP-B or VACOP-B), concurrent rituximab, and mediastinal radiation therapy.
Results
Twenty-six (62%) patients achieved a complete response (CR), and 15 (36%) obtained a partial response after MACOP-B/VACOP-B plus rituximab. After radiation therapy, the CR rate was 80%. At a median follow-up of 28 months, among the 34 patients who obtained a CR, 3 relapsed after 16, 19, and 22 months, respectively. Projected overall survival was 80% at 5 years; the relapse-free survival (RFS) curve of the 34 patients who achieved CR was 88% at 5 years.
Conclusion
In this retrospective study, in patients with PMLBCL, combined-modality treatment using the MACOP-B/VACOP-B regimen plus rituximab induces a high remission rate, with patients having a > 80% chance of surviving relapse free at 5 years. In comparison with historical data on MACOP-B/VACOP-B without rituximab, there are no statistically significant differences in terms of CR and RFS rates.