[Weekly CHOP chemotherapy in the treatment of intermediate-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphomas--cooperative group study by seven institutes].

: Between 1985 and 1988, 49 previously untreated patients with intermediate-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (LSG classification large cell 35 including 11 large cell immunoblastic by Working Formulation, medium-sized cell 7, mixed 7) were treated with the Weekly CHOP regimen (three successive weekly administration of cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisolone) as a cooperative group study by seven institutes (Nagoya Lymphoma Study Group). Complete remission was achieved in 63.3% with Weekly CHOP alone and finally in 79.6% after the addition of radiotherapy and/or combination chemotherapies including etoposide, methotrexate, procarbazine, bleomycin. Patients with T cell phenotype, high grade PS and the presence of bulky mass had significantly lower rates of CR. After a median follow-up 36 months Kaplan-Meier estimates showed that overall survival was 60.4%, disease-free survival 51.4% and relapse-free survival 64.6%. The major toxicities were alopecia, leukopenia, infection, neuropathy and gastrointestinal symptoms. No treatment-related deaths were observed. Survival was adversely affected by high LDH level, poor PS, T cell phenotype, the presence of B symptoms and the bulky mass. But these characteristics gave no significant effects on relapse rate and relapse-free survival. Thus, Weekly CHOP is an effective treatment for intermediate-grade NHL.