Cell cycle agents and cyclophosphamide in the treatment of diffuse histiocytic lymphoma

Abstract A regimen consisting of two three-day courses of large doses of methotrexate with leukovorin rescue, followed by cytosine arabinoside infusion, given during days 1 and 7 , and on day 15 , vincristine, cyclophosphamide and predinisone with a time interval of 18–24 hr between vincristine and cyclophosphamide was tested. A total of 6 such cycles were used in 9 patients with histiocytic lymphoma who had not received prior chemotherapy. All nine responded, with a complete remission in 8 . Prolonged disease-free survival of 48 or more months were seen in 3 of the complete responders. The efficacy of the cell-cycle agents, methotrexate and cytosine arabinoside was demonstrated since they were used as the initial phase of therapy, during which time a 78% response rate was observed.