Landberg T G, Håkansson L G, Möller T R, Mattsson W K, Landys K E, Johansson B G, Killander D C, Molin B F, Westling P F, Lenner P H, Dahl O G
Cancer. 1979 Sep;44(3):831-8. doi: 10.1002/1097-0142(197909)44:3<831::aid-cncr2820440307>3.0.co;2-s.
The effect of adjuvant combination chemotherapy when given to non-laparotomized patients in remission after radiotherapy in stage I or II non-Hodgkin's lymphoma was studied in a prospective randomized multicenter study. Locally extended field radiotherapy was given to a target absorbed dose of 40 Gy in 20 fractions. Fifty-five patients who were in complete remission 6 weeks after conclusion of radiotherapy were randomized to either no further therapy or to 9 cycles of CVP (cyclophosphamide + vincristine + prednisolone). The relapse-free survival at 30 months was 41% for patients without and 86% for patients with adjuvant chemotherapy (p = 0.02). The survival was the same for both treatment arms, being 90% at 30 months. Fifteen patients have relapsed, 14 of them with extensions and 1 with a recurrence within the radiation target volume. Analysis of subgroups showed that adjuvant chemotherapy in the present series significantly prolonged the relapse-free survival in diffuse histiocytic lymphoma.
