Abstract
Fifty patients with advanced malignant lymphoma were treated with combined administration of 4 drugs, vincristine, bleomycin, cyclophosphamide, and prednisolone. Complete remission rate was 53% (8/15) in Hodgkin's disease (HD), 52% (14/27) in reticulum cell sarcoma (RCS), and 25% (2/8) in lymphosarcoma (LS). Median duration of their complete remission was 15.3 months in HD and 2 of these 8 cases remained free of disorder for 63 and 65 months. Seven of 14 cases with RCS, who were cured to complete remission, relapsed within 10 months, while the remainders were further free of signs for 15∼56 months during the following-up period of median 28 months; the median duration of remission was more than 17 months (designated as 17+, hereafter). Median surviving time of HD cases was 30+ months; e.g. 39+months for complete responders, and 24 months for partial and nonresponders. That of RCS cases was 20 months; e.g. 25+ months for complete, 12.5 months for patrial, and 3.5 months for nonresponders. On the other hand, that of LS cases was 8.5 months (range of 3 to 39+ months). Bleomycin pneumonitis was observed in 5 patients and was fatal for 2. Myelosuppressive toxicity was mild, being observed in only 3 cases during this chemotherapy. This study indicated that combination chemotherapy of these agents was effective to increase complete remission rate and prolong survival time of HD as well as RCS cases.
