Autologous Bone Marrow Transplantation - Blog Science Connections

298 Treatment Strategies for NHL
PATIENTS AND METHODS
From May 1983 to May 1986, 35 consecutive patients, 16-83 years old
(median, 53 years), were treated with an intensive induction regimen. None of
them had had previous chemotherapy. The patients were histologically
classified according to the Working Formulation Classification (18). Evaluation
included at least blood examination, lymphangiography, ultrasonography, and
computed tomography, two iliac crest bone marrow aspiration biopsies, and
cytological examination of the cerebrospinal fluid. Histology and staging are
summarized in Table 1. Two thirds of the patients had stage III or IV disease, and
all patients with stage II disease had bulky or extensive extranodal lymphoma. Of
the 14 patients with stage IV disease, nine had bone marrow involvement and
two had CNS involvement.
Thirty patients were treated with methotrexate, bleomycin, Adriamycin
(doxorubicin), Oncovin (vincristine), and dexamethasone (M-BACOD) (12)
(200 mg/m 2 of methotrexate if patient was > 60 years); five had Burkitt's
lymphoma and received an intensive regimen, currently used in Centre Leon
Berard for pediatric patients (LMB 01-02) (20). The four patients with T-cell
lymphoblastic lymphoma had a modified LSA 2
L 2
(21) maintenance treatment.
Table 1. Patient Characteristics
Characteristic No. %
Number 35 100
Sex
Male 19 54
Female 16 46
Stage (Ann Arbor) 3
II 12 34
III 9 20
IV 14 46
Histological subtype"
Intermediate grade 22 63
Diffuse mixed 11 31
Diffuse large cell 7 20
Diffuse small cleaved 4 12
High grade 11 32
Immunoblastic 2 6
Lymphoblastic 4 12
Burkitt 5 14
Unclassified
Pleomorph T cell 2 6
"See Carbone etal. (19).
"See Rosenberg et al. (18).