The m-BACOD combination chemotherapy regimen in the treatment of diffuse large cell lymphoma

The m-BACOD regimen attempted to lower the dose of methotrexate in the M-BACOD (methotrexate, bleomycin, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, dexamethasone) program. Between July 1981 and January 1985, 87 previously untreated or minimally treated patients with diffuse large cell lymphoma were treated with the m-BACOD regimen (methotrexate 200 mg/m2 on days 8 and 15, bleomycin 4.0 mg/m2 on day 1, doxorubicin 45 mg/m2 on day 1, cyclophosphamide 600 mg/m2 on day 1, vincristine 1.0 mg/m2 on day 1, and dexamethasone 6 mg/m2 on days 1 to 5; leucovorin was given 24 hours after methotrexate at 10 mg/m2 every six hours for eight doses orally). Of 86 evaluable patients, 59 (68.5%) had a complete remission (CR). Partial response was seen in 21 patients with six still surviving (5 to over 15 months). Of the seven patients who had no change, all have died. The median duration of follow-up for the entire series was 30 months (range, 2 to 61). Relapse from CR occurred in 15 of 59 (25%). Currently, 56 of 87 patients (64%) survive; all but 12 are in their first remission. Overall survival was 84% for those achieving an apparent CR. The major toxic effect of the m-BACOD regimen was myelosuppression with severe leukopenia and fever, which required hospitalization for about 33% of patients. Mucositis occurred in 39 patients; 19 had severe mucositis. No significant difference in overall survival was seen between the high-dose methotrexate M-BACOD and the low-dose m-BACOD regimens.