[Preinduction in the treatment of patients with malignant lymphoma]

Prospective clinical study of ninety-eight patients with untreated malignant lymphoma were randomly assigned to be treated wether with combined chemotherapy: cyclophosphamide, hidroxidaunil adriamycin, vincristine, prednisone and bleomycin (CHOP-Bleo) or with two low-dose of methotrexate as preinduction regimen and the same chemotherapy: CHOP-Bleo. The number of early deaths afterwards the group was less with preinduction, also more of them had complete remission, it lasted longer and survival was better than in the group just treated with conventional chemotherapy. Toxicity, secondary to preinduction chemotherapy. Toxicity, secondary to preinduction regimen was acceptable, while it was similar in both groups receiving conventional chemotherapy. Supported on these results it is considered that the use of preinduction regimen, as herein described, is useful in patients with malignant lymphoma and should be applied for the therapeutic approach of these neoplasms.