[Combination of etoposide, cisplatin and ifosfamide (VPH) in the salvage chemotherapy of relapsing or refractory aggressive malignant lymphoma. Study of 51 patients]

Abstract

Fifty-one patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma refractory or relapsing after CHOP-like regimen, underwent a salvage chemotherapy by VPH: etoposide 100 mg/m2/d, D1 to D3, cisplatin 20 mg/m2/d, D1 to D5, ifosfamide 1 g/m2/d D1 to D5, mesna 1.2 g/m2/d D1 to D5, every 4 weeks. Among 46 evaluable patients for efficacy, 21 (45.6%) achieved complete or partial response according to WHO criteria and 25 (54.3%) failed, while five cases (9.8% of all patients) were not evaluable (two initial complete remission before VPH, two early toxic deaths and one confusional syndrome). Thirty-five patients (68.6%) died of lymphoma, three (5.8%) of acute toxicity and 13 (25.5%) are alive: five in complete remission. The toxicity is mainly myelo-suppression, digestive and renal but could be managed as usually. Although the follow-up is short, this regimen appears effective in these circumstances after CHOP failure but it should be used early, before overt chemoresistance. It does not hinder a bone marrow transplantation programme.