Related Experiment Videos
[Intensive chemotherapy in Burkitt's lymphoma and aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma]
Harald Holte1, Sigbjørn Smeland, Anne Kirsti Blystad
1Det Norske Radiumhospital 0130 Oslo. harald.holte@klinmed.uio.no
Background:
Clinical studies over the last 20 years using more intensive cytostatic regimens show improved results in children and adolescents with aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and in adult patients specifically with Burkitt's lymphoma.
Material And Methods:
We present a retrospective analysis of the use of the Berlin-Frankfurt-Munster (BFM) regimen for patients older than 15 years from three Norwegian university hospitals during the 1992-99 period.
Results:
Survival data for 24 patients 15-69 years old with Burkitt's lymphoma/B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (B-ALL) show an estimated overall five year survival of 70% (75% for Burkitt's lymphoma only). Eight of ten adolescent patients 15-20 years old with other aggressive lymphomas were alive and disease free at last follow-up. All nine patients given the regimen after failure of prior therapy died of lymphoma within six years.
Interpretation:
The BFM regimen yields impressive results as the primary treatment of adolescent and adult patients with Burkitt's lymphomas/B-ALL.