Effect of combination chemotherapy on the clinical response of malignant lymphoma

This study included 56 patients with advanced stages of malignant lymphoma: 36 NHL, and 20 HD. The most common pathological subtypes were diffuse poorly differentiated lymphocytic in NHL and mixed cellularity in HD, both of which are known to be of unfavorable prognosis. Conventional combination chemotherapy produced nearly the same CR rate in both HD [57%] and NHL [50%], whereas the <> chemotherapy was more effective in HD [CR rate with MOPP-6 = 71.4%] and less effective in NHL [CR rate with CHOP= 40%, and CHOP-L 33.3%]. Although <> combinations were known to be better for clearing the disease, additional toxicities of these combinations apparently resulted in disturbing the patient-tumor relationship. This might explain the poorer response of NHL patients who received the aggressive combinations