Results of treating stage III and IV malignant non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHL).

Malignant non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) patients were enrolled and analyzed retrospectively in 2 successive study groups. The first group consisted of 57 patients divided into low- and high-grade malignant NHL according to the Kiel classification, the second one included 104 patients divided into low-, intermediate-, and high-grade malignant NHL. The more individualized and more intensive polychemotherapy of the 2nd group yielded clearly better treatment results compared to the first group, especially in high-grade malignant NHL. The complete remissions rose from 32% to 59%, the recurrence rates fell from 62% to 20%, the 5-year survival time of patients under age 30 increased from 0 to 48%. In intermediate-grade malignant NHL, intensive therapy yield results that are as beneficial as those of mild therapy in low-grade malignant NHL (5-year survival rate 62% and 65%, respectively).