The role of mitoxantrone in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

The development of doxorubicin was an important advance in the treatment of patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). Alternatives to doxorubicin, such as mitoxantrone (Novantrone), have less nonhematologic toxicity and could offer a therapeutic advantage in some situations if similar antilymphoma activity exists. Several combination regimens that include mitoxantrone have been shown to be active. These include mitoxantrone/ifosfamide (Ifex) and mitoxantrone/etoposide combinations as salvage therapy for aggressive lymphomas. Mitoxantrone in combination with fludarabine (Fludara) for the treatment of newly diagnosed follicular lymphomas and in combination with fludarabine and dexamethasone for relapsed/refractory follicular lymphomas has produced high complete response rates. Other evolving uses of mitoxantrone include combination therapy with cladribine (Leustatin) or rituximab (Rituxan), and as part of conditioning regimens for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. In diffuse aggressive lymphoma, mitoxantrone, 10 mg/m2, substituted for doxorubicin, 50 mg/m2, results in a poorer response when CNOP (cyclophosphamide [Cytoxan, Neosar], mitoxantrone [Novantrone], vincristine [Oncovin], prednisone) is compared to CHOP (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin HCl vincristine, prednsione); however, increasing the mitoxantrone dose to 12 mg/m2 in either the CNOP or CMP-BOP (cyclophosphamide, mitoxantrone, procarbazine [Matulane], bleomycin [Blenoxane], vincristine, prednisone) regimens yields results comparable to those achieved with the doxorubicin-containing regimen. Comparable results have also been observed when 10 mg/M2 of mitoxantrone was substituted for 45 mg/M2 of doxorubicin in the m-BACOD (methorexate, bleomycin, doxorubicin [Adriamycin], cyclophosphamide, vincristine, dexamethasone) regimen. Mitoxantrone is active in NHL, and combinations including mitoxantrone can be used effectively and may provide an advantage in the elderly.