[Use of fludarabin in conjunction with other cytostatics in the treatment of non-Hodgkin lymphoma resistant to standard chemotherapy]. / Fludarabin v kombinatsii s drugimi tsitostatikami v lechenii nehodzhkinskikh limfom, reziztentnykh k standartnym programmam khimioterapii.

The investigation involved 50 patients (fludarabin+cyclophosphamide+prednisolone (FCP)--30; fludarabin+mitoxanthrone+prednisolone (FMP)--17; fludarabin+cyclophosphamide--3). FMP proved the most effective (60%). Yet, FCP results were clinically significant (29%). The efficacy of all the procedures was determined by morphological pattern and was reported in low- and intermediategrade non-Hodgkin's disease alone. Insignificant differences in partial remission duration and stabilization were observed between FMP and FCP, e.g. FMP's effect lasted 1 month longer. No complete remissions were reported; tolerance was reasonable. Tentative findings point to the marked efficacy of fludarabin, particularly, in combination with mitoxanthrone, cyclophosphamide and prednisolone for relapse or refractory low- and intermediate-grade non-Hodgkin's disease.

[Clinical trial of the monoclonal antibody drug mabthera (Rituximab) in the treatment of non-Hodgkin lymphoma]. / Primenenie preparata monoklonal'nykh antitel mabtera (Rituksimaba) v lechenii hekhodzhkinskikh limfom.

Mabthera has been tested for its influence on relapsing and refractory low-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in a comparative study using monotherapy (R) or in conjunction with CHOP (R-CHOP) chemotherapy. Out of 33 in-patients, effect was evaluated in 31 (rituximab monotherapy--16, R-CHOP--31). MabThera monochemotherapy proved effective in 62% of those who had received several other regimes, R-CHOP-74%. Both regimens were followed by long (ca.12 months) stable remissions. No difference in complete and partial remission duration was reported, whereas complete remission ranged 6-13 months, partial--2-24 months. Clinically significant results were 87.5% in the monotherapy group, and 87%--R-CHOP. No correlation was found between the efficacy of both regimens, on the one hand, and morphological patterns of lymphoma, on the other. CHOP chemotherapy had been given to 7 out of 15 patients treated with R-CHOP. Four of them had partial remission thus suggesting a modulating effect of rituximab on the resistance of previous treatment. R-CHOP was well tolerated by all patients, irrespective of age, did not contribute to untoward side-effects and assured longer remission.