Phase II study of a high-dose regimen of cyclophosphamide and prednisolone in advanced non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of favorable histologic type.

Fifty-seven courses of cyclophosphamide (2.5-5.0 g/m2) and prednisolone (1.0 g/m2 x 5) were given to 22 patients with advanced stage IV non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of favorable histology. Six patients (27%) had a complete response (CR) (median duration, 10.1 months), and six (27%) had a partial response (median duration, 3.0 months). All patients in whom CR was achieved had a previous disease pattern of remission and relapse, and no patient refractory to previous therapy had a CR. This association of CR to disease pattern was statistically significant (P less than 0.0001). There was no difference in the survival of complete and partial responders. There was a trend to a higher response rate and statistically significant survival advantage (P less than 0.05) for patients with the nodular histologic types. The transient nature of response and the toxicity of the regimen, with four therapy-related deaths, render it unsuitable as routine therapy.