Long-term survival of patients with intermediate and high grade lymphoma treated with COMLA/ABP

Between September 1983 and April 1985, 15 patients with previously untreated intermediate and high grade lymphoma were treated with COMLA/ABP (cyclophosphamide, vincristine, cytarabine, methotrexate, leucovorin, adriamycin, bleomycin, prednisone). There were nine males and six females; age ranged between 36 and 77 years (median, 58). Histologic diagnoses included five patients with diffuse large cell, six patients with immunoblastic, three patients with composite, and one patient with follicular large cell with diffuse areas. Following therapy, 10 patients (67%; 95% confidence interval (Cl), 43-91%) achieved a complete remission (CR) including five of six patients with immunoblastic; three patients (20%) had a partial remission, and two patients (14%) had no response. Toxicity was acceptable. After a minimum follow up of 4 years, there has been only one relapse which occurred 7 months after CR. The 4-year survival for all 15 patients is 65% (95% Cl, 40-89%). The COMLA/APB program produced a high rate of complete and durable remissions especially among patients with immunoblastic lymphoma.