An unexplained elevated ESR after therapy, especially after modern radiotherapy, independent of other factors, strongly suggest the presence of aggressive and resistant Hodgkin disease. An elevated ESR is predictive of early relapse and poor prognosis; its presence justifies early aggressive therapy.
The authors present the case of a child aged 7 years who suffered from relapsing acute lymphocytic leukemia. Treatment consisting mainly of oral and intrathecal methotrexate and x‐ray therapy produced remission of the hematologic symptoms. Three years after the onset of the leukemia, mental deterioration gradually appeared. Radiography of the skull revealed diffuse bilateral calcium deposits in both cerebral and cerebellar hemispheres. Four years after the onset of the disease, a hematologic relapse occurred. Behavioral disorders became more severe and the child died after a period of seizures and unconsciousness. The main pathologic data obtained by the study of a brain biopsy and after a complete postmortem examination consisted of calcifications located bilaterally in the cerebral and cerebellar cortex. No signs of leukemia were present. Cerebral calcification is an extremely rare complication in the course of the therapy of lymphocytic leukemia. Its possible causes are discussed.
A first-generation CHOP-like cyclic combination chemotherapy (CT) regimen using cyclophosphamide 600 mg/m2 IV d1, hydroxorubicin (doxorubicin) 50 mg/m2 IV d1, VM26 60 mg/m2 IV d1, and prednisone 40 mg/m2 PO d1-5 (CHVmP) was compared to a second-generation combination wherein vincristine 1.4 mg/m2 IV and bleomycin 6 mg/m2 IM/IV were added at mid-interval (d15) to the former drugs (CHVmP + VB) in the treatment of intermediate- and high-grade malignant NHL. From April 1980 to January 1986, 141 eligible patients with stage III-IV unfavorable histologies (except T lymphoblastic NHL) entered this EORTC randomized trial. In both arms adjuvant radiotherapy (30 Gy) was given in instances of bulky or residual disease. In all patient subsets the outcome favored the second-generation regimen. The difference was even greater in patients with Diffuse Large Cell Lymphoma (DLCL). At 5 years, overall survival was 53% with CHVmP + VB versus 29% (p = 0.002). The advantage was due to a higher complete remission (CR) rate (80% versus 50%, p = 0.01). Indeed, once CR was achieved the relapse-free survival (RFS) was not significantly influenced (59% versus 49%). No significant additional toxicity could be attributed to vincristine and bleomycin. This study demonstrates a clear benefit for intermediate- and high-risk malignant NHL and particularly DLCL from intercalating non-myelotoxic drugs at mid-cycle intervals, without adverse effects.
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