[A comparative study of VEPA and ACOMEP-BD regimen for the patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma]

Between 1981 and 1990, ACOMEP-BD regimen (adriamycin, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, methotrexate, etoposide, prednisolone, bleomycin, dacarbazine) was compared with VEPA regimen (vincristine, cyclophosphamide, prednisolone, adriamycin) in 66 newly diagnosed patients younger than 65 of age, with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). The median age of the patients was 47.5 years (range 22-64 years), 43 males and 23 females. One patients were in stage I, 6 were in II, 27 were in III, 32 were in IV. Twenty-seven patients received VEPA and 39 received ACOMEP-BD. The therapeutic results of 66 patients with ACOMEP-BD or VEPA were as follows: complete remission (CR) rate of 54% and 48%; relapse rate of 29% and 77%; CR duration of 2-34 months (mean: 22 months) and 2-74 months (16 months); freedom-from-relapse survival (at 3 years) of 71% and 38%; and overall survival (at 4 years) of 62% and 26%, respectively. In these results, only relapse rate was significant and the others were not. Prognostic factors were performance status (PS) and lactate dehydrogenase level for ACOMEP-BD, and PS and marrow involvement for VEPA. Received dose intensity was 0.85 in ACOMP-BD and 0.41 in VEPA. It was expected that outcome of patients with NHL can be improved by increasing dose intensity.