Phase II Multicenter Trial of THP-COP Combination Chemotherapy in Stage II/III/IV Intermediate- and High-Grade Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma: Korean Malignant Lymphoma Study Group / 대한혈액학회지

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: THP-adriamycin ia a tetrahydropyranyl derivative of adriamycin with compatible anti-lymphoma effect but fewer side effects, especially cardiac, nausea/vomiting and alopecia. So we performed a multicenter study of 4-drug combination chemotherapy, THP-COP regimen for patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma to evaluate the response rate, survival time and toxicity by Malignant Lymphoma Study Group in Korea. METHODS: Between June 1996 and Feb. 1997, previously untreated stage II/III/IV intermediate and high-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma patients were treated with a THP-COP regimen including THP-adriamycin 40 mg/m2 on day 1, cyclophosphamide 750 mg/m2 on day 1, oncovin 1.4 mg/m2 on day 1, and prednisolone 100 mg PO on day 1-5 with 3 weeks interval. RESULTS: Twenty six patients (89.7%) were evaluable. Patient characteritics include median age 54.8 years (16-76) and 13 patients were 60 years or old; clinical stage II in 9 patients (34.6%), stage III in 7 patients (26.9%), and stage IV in 10 patients (38.5%). Objective response were 13 CR, 7 PR, 6 PD with 76.9% response rate. Six months and 1 year survival rates and progression-free survival rates were 87.8%, 70.4%, and 85.0%, 60.5% respectively. Grade 3/4 toxicities were anemia in 7.7%, neutropenia in 53.8%, thrombocytopenia in 3.8%, vomiting in 7.7%, alopecia in 7.7% and increased SGOT in 3.8%. Prognostic significance of age and International Prognostic Index were not demonstrated. CONCLUSION: THP-COP combination chemotherapy is active in advanced stage, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma with low incidence of vomiting and alopecia.