Inpharma 1509 - 15 Oct 2005

New chemo protocol effective inaggressive NHL

A new chemotherapy protocol(HyperCHiDAM Verona 897), consisting ofhyperfractionated cyclophosphamide, high-dosecytarabine and high-dose methotrexate, is an effectiveregimen for patients with aggressive non-Hodgkin’slymphoma (NHL), according to researchers from Italy.

In their study, 28 patients with NHL, who failed torespond to or relapsed after anthracycline-basedchemotherapy, were put on theHyperCHiDAM Verona 897 protocol. The protocolconsisted of methotrexate 400 mg/m2 as a bolus plus1600 mg/m2 in a 24-hour infusion on day 1, thencyclophosphamide 300 mg/m2 and cytarabine 2 g/m2

every 12 hours on days 2–4, followed by granulocyte-colony stimulating factor. Seven patients receivedone course, 19 patients received two courses andtwo patients received three courses.

Overall, 18 (64.3%) out of the 28 patients achievedcomplete remission and six patients (21.4%) achieved apartial response. At the time of writing, 13 (46.4%) of the28 patients entered in the study were alive and free ofdisease. The median follow-up for this group was48 months. All of these patients had been event-free forgreater than 24 months, with one patient event-free formore than 73 months. The researchers suggest thatthese results may indicate HyperCHiDAM Verona 897had a curative effect in this group of patients.Todeschini G, et al. Hyperfractionated cyclophosphamdie with high-doses ofarabinosylcytosine and methotrexate (HyperCHiDAM Verona 897): an intensiveand effective regimen for patients with aggressive, refractory or recurrent non-Hodgkin lymphomas after anthracycline-containing regimens. Cancer 104:555-560, No. 3, 1 Aug 2005 801019368

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Inpharma 15 Oct 2005 No. 15091173-8324/10/1509-0001/$14.95 Adis © 2010 Springer International Publishing AG. All rights reserved