DICE方案治疗难治和复发性非霍奇金淋巴瘤的疗效分析

背景与目的:目前对于难治性和复发性非霍奇金淋巴瘤(non-Hodgkin)slymphoma,NHL)尚无标准解救化疗方案,本文旨在探讨DICE方案(地塞米松,异环磷酰胺,顺铂及VP-16)治疗难治和复发性NHL的疗效和不良反应。方法:80例难治和复发性NHL患者,其中T细胞NHL25例,B细胞NHL55例,既往均接受过6个周期的CHOP化疗方案无缓解。现采用DICE方案对患者进行解救治疗,并对毒副反应加以评估、预防及治疗。结果:80例患者接受6个周期DICE方案化疗后,总体有效率为56.3%,完全缓解率为27.5%;T、B细胞NHL有效率分别为48.0%、60.0%,完全缓解率为16.0%、32.7%(P>0.05);经DICE方案治疗的患者出现骨髓抑制、消化系统反应、脱发以及电解质紊乱发生率增高,经过治疗均恢复,无治疗相关死亡。结论:DICE方案治疗难治和复发性NHL有效。     

Bortezomib in combination with rituximab, dexamethasone, ifosfamide, cisplatin and etoposide chemoimmunotherapy in patients with relapsed and primary refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

Patients with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma may experience extended survival with second-line chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT). Since a major determinant of outcome after ASCT is responsiveness to second-line therapy, the development of more effective second-line treatments is desirable. We investigated the addition of bortezomib to rituximab, dexamethasone, ifosfamide, cisplatin and etoposide (VIPER). Fifteen patients were enrolled, of whom seven were refractory to first-line chemotherapy and only three had maintained first response for 1 year. Nine (60%) patients achieved objective responses, of which three (20%) were IWC-PET (International Workshop Criteria positron emission tomography) complete responses. Median progression-free survival was 3 months, and median overall survival was 10 months. At a median follow-up of 26 months, five patients (33%) remained alive. Treatment was well tolerated with no unexpected toxicity. Although response rates did not meet predefined criteria, activity was at least comparable to other second-line approaches despite a poor-prognosis patient population.     

Treatment of refractory and relapsed non-Hodgkin's lymphoma with ifosfamide,methotrexate and etoposide

Summary The combination of ifosfamide, etoposide and methotrexate was evaluated in 22 patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) whose disease had relapsed or was resistant to first-line adriamycin-containing treatment. Only 4 of the 22 patients underwent remissions, 3 of which were complete and 1, partial. Two of the complete remissions occurred in patients with high-grade histology who received IMVP-16 after first-line treatment had induced only a partial remission. Bone marrow suppression was the limiting toxicity of this regime, which may be of value in the salvage therapy of selected patients with NHL.     

Efficacy of high-dose methotrexate,ifosfamide, etoposide and dexamethasone salvage therapy for recurrent or refractory childhood malignant lymphoma

BackgroundChildren with recurrent or refractory malignant lymphoma generally have a poor prognosis. There is a need for new active drug combinations for this high-risk group of patients.Patients and methodsThis study evaluated the activity and toxicity of the methotrexate, ifosfamide, etoposide and dexamethasone (MIED) regimen for childhood refractory/recurrent non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) or Hodgkin’s lymphoma (HL). From 1991 through 2006, 62 children with refractory/recurrent NHL (n = 24) or HL (n = 38) received one to six cycles of MIED. Based on MIED response, intensification with hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) was considered.ResultsThere were 10 complete (CR) and 5 partial responses (PR) among the 24 children with NHL [combined response rate, 63%; 95% confidence interval (CI) 38% to 73%]. There were 13 CR and 18 PR among the 37 assessable children with HL (combined response rate, 84%; 95% CI, 68% to 94%). Although 59% courses were associated with grade IV neutropenia, treatment was well tolerated and without toxic deaths.ConclusionsMIED is an effective regimen for refractory/recurrent childhood malignant lymphoma, permitting a bridge to intensification therapy with HSCT.     

A phase II study of ifosfamide and cisplatin chemotherapy for metastatic or relapsed carcinoma of the cervix

Summary A total of 44 women received a combination of ifosfamide (1.5 g/m² daily x5) and cisplatin (50 mg/m² on day 1 only) as first-line chemotherapy for recurrent or metastatic carcinoma of the cervix. In all, 12/42 (38%) evaluable patients responded, with the median duration of response being 7 months. Bone marrow and gastrointestinal toxicity were frequently severe. There were 3 septic death. Although cisplatin plus ifosfamide is an active combination against this disease, these results suggest that it is no more so than either drug used alone.The London Gynaecology Oncology Group (LGOG) comprising the Departments of Medical Oncology     

Phase II study of a salvage regimen using cyclophosphamide, high-dose cytarabine, dexamethasone, etoposide, and rituximab in patients with relapsed or refractory B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

The management of relapsed or refractory B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (B-NHL) remains challenging. We investigated the efficacy and safety of salvage chemoimmunotherapy (CHASER) in patients with relapsed or refractory B-NHL who had radiographically measurable disease and adequate major organ function. The CHASER treatment consisted of: rituximab 375 mg/m², day 1; cyclophosphamide 1200 mg/m², day 3; cytarabine 2 g/m², days 4 and 5; etoposide 100 mg/m², days 3–5; and dexamethasone 40 mg, days 3–5. The treatment was repeated every 3 weeks up to a total of four courses in the absence of disease progression. Thirty-two patients were enrolled and received a median of four courses of treatment (range 1–4 courses) per patient. Twenty patients (63%) were previously treated with rituximab-containing regimens. The median age was 54 years (range 28–67 years). The treatment was generally well tolerated, with major toxicities being grade 4 neutropenia ( n  = 32), thrombocytopenia requiring transfusion ( n  = 28), and grade 3 transaminase elevation ( n  = 2). Overall response rates in the entire group, and in patients with indolent ( n  = 17) and aggressive ( n  = 15) diseases were 84%, 100% and 67%, respectively. Responses were observed similarly in patients with ( n  = 20) and without ( n  = 12) previous rituximab exposure (85% and 83%, respectively). Stem cell harvest was successful in 19 of 22 patients. The median time to treatment failure for the entire group was 24.5 months. This promising result of high activity and favorable toxicity profile warrants further investigation in large-scale multicenter trials. ( Cancer Sci 2008; 99: 179–184)     

Phase I study of dexamethasone, methotrexate, ifosfamide, L-asparaginase, and etoposide (SMILE) chemotherapy for advanced-stage, relapsed or refractory extranodal natural killer (NK)/T-cell lymphoma and leukemia

Extranodal natural killer (NK)/T-cell lymphoma, nasal type, and aggressive NK-cell leukemia are rare, and their standard therapy has not been established. They are Epstein-Barr virus-associated lymphoid malignancies, and tumor cells express P-glycoprotein leading to multidrug resistance of the disease. Patients with stage IV, relapsed or refractory diseases have a dismal prognosis, with survival measured in months only. To develop an efficacious chemotherapeutic regimen, we conducted a dose-escalation feasibility study of a new chemotherapeutic regimen, SMILE, comprising the steroid dexamethasone, methotrexate, ifosfamide, L-asparaginase, and etoposide. The components of SMILE are multidrug resistance-unrelated agents and etoposide. Etoposide shows both in vitro and in vivo efficacy for Epstein-Barr virus-associated lymphoproliferative disorders. Eligible patients had newly diagnosed stage IV, relapsed or refractory diseases after first-line chemotherapy, were 15-69 years of age, and had satisfactory performance scores (0-2). Four dose levels of methotrexate and etoposide were originally planned to be evaluated. At level 1, six patients with extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma, nasal type, were enrolled. Their disease status was newly diagnosed stage IV (n = 3), first relapse (n = 2), and primary refractory (n = 1). All of the first three patients developed dose-limiting toxicities, and one of them died of sepsis with grade 4 neutropenia. A protocol revision stipulating early granulocyte colony-stimulating factor administration was made. Two out of three additional patients developed dose-limiting toxicities that were all manageable and transient. For the six enrolled patients, the overall response rate was 67% and the complete response rate was 50%. Although its safety and efficacy require further evaluation, we recommend a SMILE chemotherapy dose level of 1 for further clinical studies.     

Effectiveness of second line salvage chemotherapy with ifosfamide, carboplatin, and etoposide in patients with relapsed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma not responding to cis-platinum, cytosine arabinoside, and dexamethasone

DHAP (dexamethasone, cytosine arabinoside and cis-platinum) is a commonly used regimen for relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). The optimal treatment for patients who do not respond to DHAP, but are still potential candidates for autologous stem cell transplantation, is unclear. One option is to proceed with an alternative chemotherapy regimen such as ifosfamide, carboplatin, and etoposide (ICE). The overall response rate (ORR) and overall survival (OS) associated with this chemotherapy sequence is unknown. Patients with DLBCL receiving DHAP as the first salvage therapy without response followed by ICE as second salvage were studied to learn the ORR to ICE and OS. The ORR to ICE in these DHAP-failures was 52% (11/21) with 14% (3/21) complete responses and 38% (8/21) partial responses. Nine patients (43%) were able to proceed to transplant and 29% (6/21) are long-term survivors. In patients with stable disease after DHAP the ORR was 67% (8/12) with 42% (5/12) becoming long-term survivors. In contrast, only 33% (3/9) of patients who had progressive disease on DHAP responded to ICE with only one patient achieving a durable response. Patients with stable disease after DHAP can be salvaged with ICE-based chemotherapy regimens whereas patients who progress on DHAP have a poor outcome. Patients with progressive disease on DHAP should be considered for alternative salvage regimens or experimental therapy.     

Salvage therapy for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma with a combination of dexamethasone,etoposide, ifosfamide,and cisplatin

Summary A total of 30 consecutive patients with refractory or relapsing non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) were treated with a combination of dexamethasone, etoposide (VP-16), ifosfamide, and cisplatin (DVIP). In all, 9 subjects (30%) showed a partial response and 10 (33%) achieved a complete response (CR) lasting from 2.5 to 24+ months. Aggressive histology, no prior therapy with VP-16, a CR to previous chemotherapy, and a treatment-free interval of >6 months prior to the present study were associated with the high CR rate. DVIP caused pronounced myelosuppression (median granulocyte nadir and median platelet nadir, 380/mm³ and 73.000/mm³, respectively), but no drug-related death occurred. We conclude that DVIP is an effective salvage combination, especially in aggressive NHL, that produces acceptable toxicity.Presented in part during the 15th Congress of the European Society for Medical Oncology, Copenhagen, Denmark, November 1990     

A multicenter phase 2 study of risk-adjusted salvage chemotherapy incorporating vinorelbine and gemcitabine for relapsed and refractory lymphoma

BACKGROUND.

Administration of salvage chemotherapy to patients with relapsed or refractory lymphoma is associated with significant toxicity. Vinorelbine and gemcitabine are novel chemotherapeutic agents with minimal overlapping toxicity. We present a phase 2 study of vinorelbine and gemcitabine with or without ifosfamide administered in an ambulatory care setting for relapsed or refractory lymphoma.

METHODS.

Ninety patients were enrolled. Group 1 comprised patients with “good” risk disease, Group 2 comprised patients with “high” risk disease, and Group 3 comprised patients relapsing after prior stem cell transplant. Patients in Group 1 and Group 3 received vinorelbine and gemcitabine with filgrastim support (VGF); those in Group 2 received the above regimen with ifosfamide (FGIV). We incorporated a standardized interim evaluation with dose escalation for patients with suboptimal response after 2 cycles.

RESULTS.

Toxicities were acceptable. Febrile neutropenia was uncommon: 7% after VGF (7 of 107 cycles) and 19% for FGIV (26 of 148 cycles). Unplanned admissions occurred in 23 of 107 cycles (21%) after VGF and 50 of 148 (34%) after FGIV. Overall response for Groups 1, 2 and 3, respectively was 76%, 39% and 50%, with median overall survival of 28, 9 and 30 months.

CONCLUSIONS.

Vinorelbine‐based and gemcitabine‐based chemotherapy is effective in the salvage setting against lymphoma and can be administered in an ambulatory setting. Cancer 2008. © 2008 American Cancer Society.     

Mitoxantrone/ifosfamide/etoposide salvage regimen with rituximab for in vivo purging in patients with relapsed lymphoma

Treatment with the anti-CD20 antibody rituximab prior to stem cell collection may lead to tumor-free stem cell collections in patients with B-cell lymphoma undergoing autologous stem cell transplantation. To test the feasibility of obtaining polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-negative stem cell collection, 30 patients with a variety of B-cell lymphomas were enrolled in a protocol employing a common MINE (mitoxantrone/ifosfamide/etoposide) salvage regimen with rituximab (in vivo purging). Rituximab 400 mg/m2 was administered weekly for 3 weeks on days 1, 6, and 8 in relation to the last MINE cycle, which was followed by growth factor-stimulated peripheral stem cell collection. The median number of CD34(+) cells/kg was 2.5 million cells/kg collected over a median of 5 days. Polymerase chain reaction amplification for the t (14;18) or the heavy-chain gene rearrangement was performed prior to treatment and on the leukapheresis sample. Out of 15 patients who had a positive PCR signal prior to treatment, 10 had PCR-negative stem cell collections, whereas 5 had PCR-positive stem cell collections. After high-dose chemotherapy and stem cell transplant, all patients with a PCR-positive signal pretreatment became PCR negative. We conclude that rituximab may increase the yield of tumor-free stem cells. Higher rates of PCR negativity have been reported when more intense and protracted chemoimmunotherapy regimens have been employed. The magnitude of clinical benefit and the significance of the PCR analysis in stem cells after rituximab requires larger studies.     

Gemcitabine, cisplatin and methylprednisolone (GEM-P) is an effective salvage regimen in patients with relapsed and refractory lymphoma

There is currently no standard salvage chemotherapy regimen in relapsed and refractory lymphoma. Gemcitabine is a novel nucleoside analogue, which acts synergistically with cisplatin both in vitro and in clinical studies. We evaluated the combination of gemcitabine, cisplatin and methylprednisolone (GEM-P) in 41 heavily pretreated patients with relapsed and refractory Hodgkin's and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The best-achieved response rate (RR) was 79% (95% CI 64-91), with a complete RR of 21%. In patients with chemo-resistant disease, the RR was 63%. Myelosuppression was the main toxicity, the incidence of Grade 3 or 4 anaemia, neutropenia and thrombocytopenia was 17.1, 61.0 and 53.7% respectively. Only one patient had neutropenic sepsis and none of the patients suffered from haemorrhage. Grade 3 or 4 nonhaematological toxicity was minimal and stem cell mobilisation was not inhibited. GEM-P is an effective salvage regimen and its use prior to autologous stem cell transplant warrants further investigation.     

Rituximab, gemcitabine, cisplatin, and dexamethasone in patients with refractory or relapsed aggressive B-cell lymphoma

This study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Rituximab, Gemcitabine, Cisplatin, and Dexamethasone (R-GDP) in relapsed or refractory aggressive B-Cell Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma (NHL). Treatments consisted of rituximab 375?mg/m(2), i.v. on day 1; gemcitabine 1,000?mg/m(2), i.v. on days 1 and 8, dexamethasone 40?mg i.v. on days 1-4, and cisplatin 25?mg/m(2) i.v. on days 1-3, every 21?days. The primary end-points were the overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). Secondary endpoints included response rate (ORR; CR) and toxicities. Eligible patients could then proceed to high-dose chemotherapy (HDC) and autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) or receive up to six treatment cycles. From January 2005 to December 2010, 50 successive patients at Tianjin cancer hospital lymphoma department were enrolled in this study. All patients were recurrent or refractory aggressive B-cell NHL, including diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (n?=?30) and follicular lymphoma grade 3b (n?=?20). The median follow-up time was 42?months (range, 12-70). After two cycles, the overall response rate was 72.0?%, with a CR/CRu rate of 56?%. The 2-year OS and PFS of all patients were 70.0 and 48.0?%, respectively. Grade III-IV neutropenia and thrombocytopenia occurred in 34 and 40?% of patients, respectively. Twenty-one patients (42?%) proceeded to ASCT. Higher International Prognostic Index and refractory disease were independently associated with worse survival and progression-free survival. R-GDP chemotherapy in patients with refractory or relapsed aggressive B-Cell NHL was effective as a salvage therapy and helpful for HDC/ASCT.     

Comparison of ICE (ifosfamide-carboplatin-etoposide) versus DHAP (cytosine arabinoside-cisplatin-dexamethasone) as salvage chemotherapy in patients with relapsed or refractory lymphoma

Background: High dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell transplantation is currently the treatment of choice for relapsed or refractory lymphoma patients. However, its applicability is mostly restricted to patients responding to salvage chemotherapy. Optimal salvage regimen for these patients is unclear. In this study, our aim was to compare the efficacy and toxicity profiles of DHAP (cytosine arabinoside, cisplatin and dexamethasone) and ICE (ifosfamide, carboplatin and etoposide) regimens in the salvage treatment of relapsed and refractory lymphoma. Patients and Methods: In this retrospective analysis, 53 patients with primary refractory or relapsed Hodgkin's disease (HD) (n = 13) or non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) (n = 40) who received ICE or DHAP salvage regimen were included. Results: Of 53 patients, 21 (39,6%) were female and the median age was 43 years. A total of 73 courses of ICE and 59 courses of DHAP were administered. Response could be evaluated in 49 patients (36 NHL and 13 HD). Of 49 patients, 11 (22.5%) achieved complete remission (CR) and 17 (35%) achieved partial remission (PR), leading to an overall response rate (ORR: CR + PR) of 57.5%. In the evaluable ICE group (n = 22) rates of CR, PR, and ORR were 27%, 41% and 68% and in the DHAP group (n = 27) rates of CR, PR, and ORR were 18%, 30% and 48% (p = 0.24, for ORR). Toxicity with both regimens was within acceptable limits. The major grade III-IV toxicities for both groups were hematological (neutopenia and thrombocytopenia). The main non-hematological toxicity was renal and observed in 8 patients. Conclusion: Although the toxicity profiles of both ICE and DHAP regimens were similar in the treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory HD or NHL, ICE seems to have higher rates of response than DHAP regimen does.     

Cisplatin, etoposide, and ifosfamide in non-small cell lung carcinoma. A phase II randomized study with cisplatin and etoposide as the control arm

A Phase II randomized study testing the combination of cisplatin, etoposide, and ifosfamide (PEI) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) was performed. The standard combination of cisplatin and etoposide (PE) was used as the control arm. Since January 1987, 78 patients were enrolled and then stratified for previous treatments and performance status (PS). The response rate (RR) of PEI was 26% (95% confidence limits [95 CL], 12% to 40%), with one complete response (CR). The RR of PE was 26% (95 CL, 13% to 39%), with no CR. The median response duration was 5 months (range, 2 to 13 months) for PEI and 4 months (range, 2 to 6 months) for PE. The median survival time was 6 months (range, 1 to 22+ months) for PEI and 7 months (range, 1 to 21+ months) for PE. Leukopenia at recycling was similar in both arms (25% for PEI and 29% of PE). The median leukocyte nadir was 2100/microliters (range, 430 to 4870/microliters) for PEI patients and 3150/microliters (range, 500 to 5000/microliters) for PE patients. Three patients had a drug-related death secondary to infections. This Phase II randomized study suggested that the combination of cisplatin plus etoposide and ifosfamide produces results similar to those obtainable with cisplatin and etoposide.     

A phase II trial of mesna/ifosfamide, mitoxantrone and etoposide for refractory lymphomas

BACKGROUND: We have previously reported that combination chemotherapy basedon the drugs cytarabine/platinum is effective in recurring lymphomas.In this phase II study, we prospectively studied a combinationregimen of mesna/ifosfamide, mitoxantrone and etoposide (MINE)in patients with recurring lymphoma who had already receivedcytarabine/ platinum but did not respond to the treatment. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 48 patients received MINE at the following doses: mesna 1.33g/m² IV daily x3, and 500 mg p.o. daily 4 hours after each IVdose; ifosfamide 1.33 g/m² IV daily, given concurrently withmesna, x3 d; mitoxantrone 8 mg/m² IV on day 1; and etoposide65 mg/m² IV daily x3. Treatment cycles were 21–28 daysapart, depending on patients' blood counts, with a maximum numberof 6 cycles in responding patients. The histologic grade ofthe lymphomas according to the Working Formulation was low in8 patients and intermediate in 40 patients. In the latter group,12 were transformed from low grade. RESULTS: Overall, 48% of the patients responded, with 21% having a completeresponse (CR), and 27% having a partial response (PR). The mediansurvival time was 9 months, and the median follow-up of survivorsis 51 months at this writing. Median time to treatment failurewas 12 months for patients with complete responses, and 5 monthsfor patients with partial responses. The most serious complicationwas myelosuppression, with 2 deaths resulting from neutropenicinfection. CONCLUSION: The MINE regimen induced responses in a moderate fraction ofpatients after their prior exposure to cytarabine/platinum salvagetherapy, indicating there is no absolute cross resistance betweenthese drug regimens. ifosfamide, salvage therapy, lymphoma     

Dexamethasone, high-dose cytarabine, and cisplatin in combination with rituximab as salvage treatment for patients with relapsed or refractory aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

We designed a multicenter Phase II trial to prospectively evaluate the efficacy and safety of the combination of rituximab with the DHAP regimen (dexamethasone, high-dose cytarabine, cisplatin) in patients who relapsed after or were resistant to a CHOP-like regimen. A total of 53 patients with relapsed or resistant aggressive B-cell NHL were analyzed. The overall response rate was 62.3 percent. With a median follow-up of 24.9 months, median overall and progression-free survivals were 8.5 and 6.7 months, respectively. Immunochemotherapy with rituximab and DHAP proved to be feasible and effective in this patient population.     

FLUDAP: salvage chemotherapy for relapsed/refractory aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

The aim of this study was to investigate the combination of fludarabine phosphate, dexamethasone, cytosine arabinoside and cis-platinum (FLUDAP) in the treatment of patients with relapsed/refractory aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). This regimen comprises: dexamethasone 100 mg/d continuous infusion (cont. inf.) d1-3; cytosine arabinoside (ara-C) 1 g/m2/d cont. inf. d 2,3; fludarabine phosphate 30 mg/m2 short inf. 4hr prior to each 24hr ara-C inf.; cis-platinum 50 mg/m2 4hr inf. at the start of each 24hr ara-C inf. G-CSF (lenograstim, Granocyte) is given at 263 microg s.c. daily from day 7 until the neutrophil count reaches 1.0x10(9)/l. The regimen repeats at 21 day intervals. A total of 33 patients were registered (median age 47 years; 24 males, 9 females); the majority (73%) were refractory to their previous treatment and most had advanced disease by Ann Arbor stage. Thirteen (39%) of the 33 enrolled patients (52% of the 25 fully evaluable patients who received at least 2 courses of FLUDAP) responded to treatment. A maximum response of complete remission was achieved in 5 patients, good partial remission in 3, and partial remission in 5. Twelve patients went on to successful stem cell supported intensification therapy. Median survival times were higher in the responding patients, and in those patients transplanted post-FLUDAP. The toxicity associated with the FLUDAP regimen was generally predictable; frequently reported severe events included haematological toxicity and infection. In conclusion, the FLUDAP regimen shows promise as a salvage regimen and increases the available therapeutic options in the treatment of recurrent/refractory aggressive NHL.     

Phase II study of PEND chemotherapy in patients with refractory/relapsed Hodgkin lymphoma

High-dose chemotherapy with autologous marrow or stem cell rescue (HDC/ASCT) is an effective strategy in patients with relapsed Hodgkin lymphoma. Various chemotherapy regimens have been used for cytoreduction prior to HDC/ASCT. In this study, our objective was to determine the response rate to PEND in a group of patients with relapsed Hodgkin lymphoma. Nineteen patients with relapsed or primary refractory Hodgkin lymphoma underwent treatment with the PEND regimen and received a median of 2 cycles (1 - 6 cycles). The PEND regimen builds on our prior results with ABDIC and consists of prednisone 40 mg/m² orally (PO) daily × 5 days; etoposide 50 mg/m² PO daily × 14 days; mitoxantrone 5 mg/m²/d IV, days 1 and 3; and DTIC 200 mg/m²/d intravenous continuous infusion (CIV) over 24 h, days 1 to 5, via central venous catheter. The treatment was given every 28 days. There were 3 complete responses (16%) and 10 partial responses (53%) yielding a total response rate of 69% (95% C.I. 43%, 87%). Myelosuppression was the predominant toxicity; no deaths were due to toxicity. After achieving maximum response to PEND, 10 eligible patients received a consolidative treatment with HDC/ASCT. All 6 patients who did not respond to PEND died from disease progression whereas 5 of 13 responders were alive after 10 years of follow-up (3 without disease). There were 11 deaths due to disease progression; three from other causes. The initial response to PEND before subsequent ASCT consolidation treatment appears to be associated with survival. All patients who failed to achieve a response have died. We conclude that PEND is an effective treatment strategy in Hodgkin lymphoma patients previously treated with both ABVD and MOPP.