Cure of Burkitt's lymphoma. Ten-year follow-up of 157 Ugandan patients

Abstract

192 Ugandan patients with Burkitt's lymphoma were treated with various regimens containing high-dose cyclophosphamide. 21 patients died during induction therapy, and 14 died after partial responses. Of 157 patients who responded completely to treatment, 16 were lost to follow-up (10 in 69 died and 72 (51%) are alive and disease-free. 31 of the long-term survivors have relapsed at least once and have been successfully retreated. Overall, 34 surviving patients had central-nervous-system involvement, also successfully treated. It is concluded that Burkitt's lymphoma is curable in at least 50% of patients, and that relapse and central-nervous-system involvement are not incompatible with long survival.