[COBDP combination chemotherapy in the treatment of malignant lymphoma--report on 64 patients]

From February 1986 to February 1989, 64 patients with malignant lymphoma were treated in our hospital by combination chemotherapy. In this series, there were 7 Hodgkin's and 57 non-Hodgkin's lymphomas. Twenty-five patients had untreated and 39, treated lesions. Clinical staging showed 7 Stage I, 5 Stage II, 22 Stage III and 30 Stage IV lesions. The COBDP regimen was carried out as: cytoxan 600 mg iv on D 1.8; oncovin 2 mg iv on D 1.8; Bleomycin A5 10 mg im on D 1,4,8,11; cisdichlorodiamine-platinum 20 mg iv drip on D 1-5; and Prednisone 10 mg tid po on D-14. Treatment results revealed 39% (25 patients) CR, 52% (33 patients) PR, giving an over-all response rate of 91% (CR + PR). There was a significant difference in the CR of the untreated patients (56%-14/25) and that of the treated ones (28%-11/39) (P less than 0.05). However, between these two groups of patients, no statistical significance was observed in the median CR durations (greater than 12 months vs greater than 9 months) and the median survivals of the CR patients (greater than 16.5 months vs 15 months) (P greater than 0.05). The median survival after CR was significantly longer than that after PR (P less than 0.05). The side effects were: anorexia, nausea, vomiting, alopecia and leucopenia without mortality or pulmonary complications. The authors believe that COBDP regimen may serve as the first line attack against malignant lymphomas. The prognostic factors are also discussed.