Failure of IMVP-16 as second-line treatment for relapsed or refractory high grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

The British National Lymphoma Investigation (BNLI) has assessed the use of an IMVP-16 regimen (ifosfamide, methotrexate, VP-16) in 46 patients with high grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) who on first-line chemotherapy either failed to attain a complete remission or relapsed. Seventeen patients responded to IMVP-16 but only five (11 per cent) went into a complete remission (CR), 12 (26 per cent) had a partial remission (PR) and 29 (63 per cent) showed no response (NR). CR after IMVP-16 has been maintained in only one case (36 months). The results of this study imply that the use of this IMVP-16 protocol as second-line treatment for patients with recurrent high grade NHL is unsuccessful and alternative salvage regimens should be sought.