Successful treatment for recurrence of primary cutaneous anaplastic large-cell lymphoma in elderly patient with etoposide, mitoxantrone, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, prednisolone and bleomycin (VNCOP-B) therapy

Abstract

Primary cutaneous anaplastic large cell lymphoma (C-ALCL) is a malignant lymphoma with a relatively good prognosis, consisting of CD30-positive, undifferentiated, large cells. We report an elderly patient with C-ALCL which recurred after cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisone (CHOP) therapy, but was effectively treated with the third-generation etoposide, mitoxantrone, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, prednisolone and bleomycin (VNCOP-B) regimen. It is characterized by the completion of treatment in 8 weeks, its applicability on an outpatient basis, and a low incidence of cardiotoxicity and mucosal symptoms. Although our patient had no side-effects during chemotherapy, patients should be carefully monitored for side-effects, especially infection. In conclusion, the VNCOP-B regimen might be an effective treatment for elderly patients with good performance status, CHOP-resistant patients or patients with aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.