Treatment and clinical management of primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma with sclerosis: MACOP-B regimen and mediastinal radiotherapy monitored by (67)Gallium scan in 50 patients

Blood. 1999 Nov 15;94(10):3289-93.

Abstract

To evaluate the efficacy of a combined modality treatment (MACOP-B plus mediastinal radiotherapy) and the advantages of Gallium-67-citrate single-photon emission ((67)GaSPECT) over computed tomography (CT) for restaging in patients with primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma (PMLBCL) with sclerosis. Between 1989 and 1998, 50 previously untreated patients with PMLBCL with sclerosis (70% with bulky mass) were treated with MACOP-B regimen plus mediastinal radiotherapy. The radiologic clinical stage with evaluation of tumor size included CT and (67)GaSPECT at diagnosis, after chemotherapy, and after radiotherapy. Forty-three patients (86%) achieved a complete response and 7 were nonresponders to treatment. For the imaging evaluation, only 47 patients were evaluable because 3 had disease progression during chemotherapy. After treatment, 3/5 (60%) patients with positive (67)GaSPECT and negative CT scan relapsed, as against 0/21 (0%) with negative (67)GaSPECT and CT scan. Twenty-one patients had a positive CT scan: of these, the 4 with positive (67)GaSPECT all progressed, whereas there were no relapses among the 17 with negative (67)GaSPECT. After radiotherapy, there was a decrease of positive CT (from 33 to 21 cases) and of positive (67)GaSPECT (from 31 to 9 cases). Relapse-free survival rate was 93% at 96 months (median 39 months). In patients with PMLBCL with sclerosis, MACOP-B plus radiation therapy is a very useful first-line treatment and radiation therapy may play an important role. As regards restaging, (67)GaSPECT should be considered the imaging technique of choice at least in patients who show CT positivity.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / therapeutic use*
  • Bleomycin / therapeutic use
  • Citrates
  • Combined Modality Therapy
  • Cyclophosphamide / therapeutic use
  • Doxorubicin / therapeutic use
  • Female
  • Gallium
  • Humans
  • Lymphoma, B-Cell / complications
  • Lymphoma, B-Cell / drug therapy
  • Lymphoma, B-Cell / radiotherapy
  • Lymphoma, B-Cell / therapy*
  • Male
  • Mediastinal Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Mediastinal Neoplasms / mortality
  • Mediastinal Neoplasms / radiotherapy
  • Mediastinal Neoplasms / therapy
  • Methotrexate / therapeutic use
  • Middle Aged
  • Prednisolone / therapeutic use
  • Prospective Studies
  • Sclerosis / complications
  • Sclerosis / drug therapy
  • Sclerosis / radiotherapy
  • Sclerosis / therapy*
  • Survival Analysis
  • Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon
  • Vincristine / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Citrates
  • Bleomycin
  • Vincristine
  • Doxorubicin
  • Cyclophosphamide
  • Prednisolone
  • Gallium
  • gallium citrate
  • Methotrexate

Supplementary concepts

  • MACOP-B regimen