[Clinical comparison of CHO regimen versus CHOP regimen for treatment of patients with intermediate-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma].

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: The side effects of glucocorticoid, for example inducing or sharpening diabetes, should be considered in treatment of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) accompanied by diabetes mellitus with CHOP regimen[Adriamycin(doxorubicin)+cyclophosphamide+Oncovin(Vincristine)+prednisone]. The study was performed to compare the efficacy and toxicity of CHO (without prednisone) and standard CHOP regimen.

METHODS

From June 1991 to May 1999, 53 patients with histologically and immunohistochemically proven of intermediate-grade NHL accompanied by diabetes mellitus were analyzed retrospectively.

RESULTS

Twenty-two patients received CHO regimen and thirty-one received CHOP regimen. Patients in both groups were well- matched with baseline disease characteristics (P >0.05). In CHO group,the response rate was 81.8%;whereas in CHOP group,the response rate was 90.4%. The median survival of CHO group and CHOP group were 31 months and 33 months,respectively. The three-year survival rate and three-year disease- free survival rate in CHO group were 44.1% and 31.2% respectively versus 47.3% and 33.8% in CHOP group. For the side effects, there were differences between two groups except nausea and vomiting which were obvious in CHO group (P=0.015).

CONCLUSION

CHO regimen may be selected in treatment of intermediate-grade NHL accompanied by diabetes mellitus. The efficacy and the toxicity of CHO regimen is similar to standard CHOP regimen. Whether it is true should be confirmed by well-controlled randomized clinical trials with more patients.