Comparison of M-2 protocol with COP in patients with nodular lymphoma

58 consecutively referred, previously untreated patients with nodular lymphomas (stages III and IV) were treated with two different combination chemotherapy regimens-(cyclophosphamide, vincristine and prednisone (COP), and BCNU , cyclophosphamide, vincristine, melphalan and prednisone (M-2) - to compare remission induction and duration as well as survival. The two groups were comparable for age, stage IV and histology. The complete response for each combination was greater than 80%. Median duration of remission for the COP-treated patients is 18 months. Remission duration and survival are superior for M-2-treated patients. The difference in remission duration and survival advantage is statistically significant for the M-2 protocol compared with COP at 5 years (p less than 0.01).