Salvage treatment of unfavorable non-Hodgkin's lymphoma with cisplatin, amsacrine, and mitoguazone: a Southwest Oncology Group Pilot Study.

We tested the combination of cisplatin, amsacrine, and mitoguazone as salvage treatment for patients with advanced unfavorable non-Hodgkin's lymphomas. An objective response rate of 43% was noted in 30 evaluable patients, but all responses were partial and the median duration of response was only 2 months. Toxicity included life-threatening and fatal leukopenia and severe gastrointestinal intolerance. We conclude that this combination chemotherapy regimen is not a valuable salvage treatment for patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.