Treatment of diffuse large-cell lymphoma: a summary of outcome for patients treated by Southwest Oncology Group

The early results of the SWOG randomized trial indicate that there is no significant difference in outcome for patients treated with CHOP compared to m-BACOD, ProMACE-CytaBOM, and MACOP-B. However, a major feature of these latter regimens has been the durability of response, and consequently, further follow-up of the SWOG study is indicated. However, it is already clear that the magnitude of any difference that might be detected with further follow-up will be small and disproves some early predictions. In our view, much of the controversy regarding treatment for DLCL resulted from inappropriate comparisons of results of new studies to historic CHOP trials without regard for major differences in patient selection.