Etoposide as a single agent in relapsed advanced lymphomas. A phase II study

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Relapsed lymphomas often exhibit resistance to standard chemotherapy regimens.
• Etoposide is an established chemotherapeutic agent with varying efficacy depending on dosage and tumor type.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of a higher dose of etoposide in patients with relapsed lymphomas.
• To compare response rates in Hodgkin's disease versus non-Hodgkin's lymphomas.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 23 patients with relapsed lymphomas (13 Hodgkin's disease, 10 non-Hodgkin's lymphomas) received etoposide at 120 mg/m2 i.v. for 5 days or orally for 7-10 days, repeated every 3 weeks.
• Objective response rates, including complete response (CR) and partial response (PR), were assessed.

Main Results:

• Overall response rate was 61% (8/13) in Hodgkin's disease patients (3 CR, 5 PR).
• Response rate was 30% (3/10) in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma patients (all PR).
• Hematological toxicity was dose-limiting; gastro-intestinal toxicity was infrequent.

Conclusions:

• High-dose etoposide demonstrates significant anti-tumor activity, especially in Hodgkin's disease.
• The observed response rates in Hodgkin's disease exceed previous reports, likely due to the increased dosage.
• Further investigation into etoposide in combination therapies for lymphomas is warranted.