[Salvage chemotherapy with IMV-triple P for relapsed or refractory malignant lymphoma]

Twelve patients with relapsed or refractory malignant lymphoma were treated with IMV-triple P regimen consisting of ifosfamide (IFM), mitoxantrone (MIT), vindesine (VDS), pepleomycin (PEP), procarbazine (PCZ) and prednisolone (PDN). Three of 12 patients achieved complete remission (CR), and 5 patients achieved partial remission (PR). Hence, the overall response rate was 66.7% (8/12). Of 9 relapsed patients who had attained CR after the former chemotherapy, 3 had CR and 4 had PR. The overall response rate was 77.8% (7/9). Side effects were relatively mild, including leukopenia (less than 1,000/microliters) (33.3%) and thrombocytopenia (less than 5 X 10(4)/microliters) (8.3%). There was no severe cardiac toxicity such as heart insufficiency and severe arrythmia. These results suggest that IMV-triple P regimen is effective in the treatment of relapsed or refractory malignant lymphoma.