BACKGROUND: This study was done to analyze the treatment outcomes of adult lymphoblastic lymphoma patients according to the risk groups and the treatment regimens. METHODS: The analysis was performed on twenty patients histologically diagnosed as lymphoblastic lymphoma at Seoul National University Hospital. The high-risk group was defined as patients with Ann Arbor stage IV with bone marrow, central nervous system (CNS) involvement or initial serum lactate dehydrogenase level more than 1.5 times upper normal limits. Twelve patients received dose-intensive Stanford/Northern California Oncology Group (NCOG) regimen consisted of four phase of induction, CNS prophylaxis, consolidation, and maintenance. Eight patients received conventional dose regimen, either six courses of vincristine, bleomycin, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, prednisolone, procarbazine (COPBLAM-V) or cyclophosphamide, vincristine, doxorubicin, prednisolone, L-asparaginase (CHOP/L-ASP) with CNS prophylaxis. We analyzed the response rate and the survival rate according to the risk groups and treatment regimens. RESULTS: The overall response rate was 90% (75% complete response). In low-risk group, the complete response (CR) rate was 100% irrespective of treatment regimen. In high-risk group, conventional dose regimen did not produce CR. Four of the six high-risk patients receiving dose-intensive regimen achieved CR. The 5-year overall survival (OS) rate was 52% in total patients. The 5-year OS rate were 77% and 30% for low- and high-risk group, respectively (P=0.242). In low-risk group, conventional dose regimen showed similar survival outcomes compared with that of dose intensive regimen. Toxicity profile was more favorable in the patients with conventional dose regimens. CONCLUSION: For low-risk patients, conventional dose regimen showed similar effect in comparison with dose-intensive regimen. However, for high-risk patients, CR was observed only with dose-intensive regimen. Multi-center clinical trials are necessary to confirm our observation.
Adult ; Male ; Female ; Humans