A third generation regimen VACOP-B with or without adjuvant radiotherapy for aggressive localized non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: report from the Italian Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma Co-operative Study Group

The objective of this multicenter prospective study was to determine the clinical efficacy and toxicity of a polychemotherapeutic third generation regimen, VACOP-B, with or without radiotherapy as front-line therapy in aggressive localized non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Ninety-three adult patients (47 males and 46 females, median age 45 years) with aggressive localized non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, 43 in stage I and 50 in stage II (non-bulky), were included in the study. Stage I patients received VACOP-B for 6 weeks plus involved field radiotherapy and stage II patients received 12 weeks VACOP-B plus involved field radiotherapy on residual masses. Eighty-six (92.5 percent) achieved complete remission and 4 (4.3 percent) partial remission. Three patients (3.2 percent) were primarily resistant. Ten-year probability of survival, progression-free survival and disease-free survival were 87.3, 79.9 and 83.9 percent, respectively. Eighty-four patients are surviving at a median observation time of 57 months (range: 6-126). Statistical analysis showed no difference between stages I and II in terms of response, ten-year probability of survival, progression-free survival or disease-free survival. Side effects and toxicity were negligible and were similar in the two patient groups. The results of this prospective study suggest that 6 weeks of VACOP-B treatment plus radiotherapy may be the therapy of choice in stage I aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Twelve weeks of VACOP-B treatment with or without radiotherapy was shown to be effective and feasible for stage II. These observations need to be confirmed by a phase III study comparing first and third generation protocols in stage I-II aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Necrosis avascular de cabeza y cuello de fémur en un paciente con sida / Avascular osteonecrosis of femoral head and neck in an AIDS patient

Avascular osteonecrosis (AON) has increased in the last few years in patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1). The most commonly affected bone is the femoral head and neck. Frequently these bilateral and clinical findings include moderate to severe pain and functional impotence of the affected joints. The etiology is multifactorial and highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) with protease inhibitors (PI) is probably related to its development. In the evolution, a total hip replacement may be needed. We present an hemophilic patient with AIDS, who developed a bilateral AON of the femoral head and neck during HAART.

La osteonecrosis avascular (ONA) es una complicación que se describe con frecuencia creciente en pacientes infectados por el virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana tipo-1 (HIV-1). En su localización más común compromete la cabeza y cuello del fémur con dolor e impotencia funcional, en una o ambas caderas. Su etiología es multifactorial y la terapia antirretroviral de alta eficacia (HAART) con inhibidoresde proteasa (IP) puede estar relacionada con la patogenia. En su evolución puede requerir el reemplazo total de la cadera con la colocación de una prótesis. Se presenta un paciente hemofílico, HIV-1 seropositivo, quedesarrolló una ONA bilateral de cabeza y cuello de fémur mientras se encontraba bajo HAART.