[Highly malignant non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Treatment by intensive sequential chemotherapy]

Sixty-two patients with aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (diffuse mixed, diffuse large cells, non-cleaved small cells (Burkitt-like), immunoblastic, lymphoblastic and other non-epidermotropic T lymphomas) were treated by intensive sequential chemotherapy combining heavy induction treatment (modified CHOP-Bleo), sequential consolidation treatment (cytosine arabinoside and thioguanine, then high-dose methotrexate and L-asparaginase) and final reinforcement (CVAP-Bleo). Complete remission was achieved in 59 patients (95%); 11 patients (18%) relapsed. Two patients died during the induction phase and one failed to respond. Two patients died of an unrelated disease while in complete remission. Blood toxicity was tolerable and treatment could be conducted without problems in most cases. The median survival cannot be reached with a 14-months follow-up, but the survival rate seems to plateau at 70%. The only two prognostic factors identified were poor general condition and high serum lactate dehydrogenase levels.