Carrión J R, García Arroyo F R, Salinas P
Service of Medical Oncology, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain.
Am J Clin Oncol. 1995 Feb;18(1):44-6. doi: 10.1097/00000421-199502000-00009.
Seventeen patients with refractory (7 cases) or relapsed (10 cases) lymphoma were treated with a continuous infusion of etoposide, vincristine, and doxorubicin, in addition to cyclophosphamide (bolus) and prednisone (regimen EPOCH). Six patients (4 with Hodgkin's disease) achieved a complete response (CR) (35%; 95% CI: 14-62%). However, 5 of 6 patients had achieved a CR with their initial therapy. Myelosuppression was the most serious effect (29% of patients with grade IV leukopenia after the first course). There were two treatment-related deaths. Doses were lower than originally reported (median: 68%). Infusional therapy with EPOCH is an active regimen in these heavily pretreated patients, particularly in relapsed Hodgkin's disease. It seems a useful protocol to prove chemosensitivity before bone marrow transplantation. However, the true role of infusional treatment has to be determined in clinical trials.
