[Treatment of adult Berkitt-like lymphoma]

To compare programs of chemotherapy used in adult Berkitt-like lymphoma (ABLL); to assess efficacy and toxicity of the protocol AblL-M-04.

31 ABLL patients (23 males, 8 females, mean age 27 years) participated in the study performed in Hematological Research Center in 1995-2004. ABLL stage I, II, III and IV was diagnosed in 3, 5, 8 and 15 patients, respectively. 10 patients had diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. 9 patients received 2 to 6 courses of CHOP, 1 patient--6 courses of Pro-Mace-Cytabom, 11 patients with newly diagnosed ABLL and 5 pretreated with CHOP--NHL-BFM-90. The modified protocol ABLL-M-04 of intensive short-term therapy included 10 patients, 2 of them pretreated.

Of 10 patients given CHOP or CHOP-like courses 9 were resistant to therapy, 2 died of rapid progression, 7 were converted to the program therapy. 5 patients on the protocol NHL-BFM-90 died after short-term improvement. None of them achieved remission. Of 10 patients with newly diagnosed ABLL treated according to NHL-BFM-90 protocol, remission was achieved in 4 patients, follow-up median--34 months (2-56). Six patients died: 4 of progression, 2 of chemotherapy complications. BLL-M-04 therapy was made in 9 patients: 7 patients persisted on the first remission, 2 patients died of chemotherapy complications. Overall duration of the treatment was 3-3.5 months.

The protocol ABLL-M-04 seems to be more effective than a classic NHL-BFM-90, but this must be supported by more cases. CHOP therapy cannot be recommended for patients with ABLL because of poor efficacy (all the CHOP patients died).