VNCOP-B plus rituximab therapy in elderly patients with aggressive B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma: A multicenter experience

CHOP (cyclophosphamide, adriamycin, vincristine, and prednisolone) plus rituximab is a standard chemotherapy used to treat patients with aggressive B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (B-NHL). However, among elderly patients, this regimen has not been completely satisfactory in its efficacy and safety. We report our clinical experience in 8 collaborative institutions to determine if the VNCOP-B (etoposide, mitoxantrone, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, prednisolone, and bleomycin) combination therapy plus rituximab was effective and safe to treat elderly patients with aggressive B-NHL. Between September 2004 and December 2007, 23 previously untreated patients, median age 73 years, 50.0% classified as high-intermediate/high-risk on the standard International Prognostic Index (IPI) entered this trial. Complete remission rate was 90.5%, with a 100% overall response rate (RR) at the end of induction therapy; overall survival (OS) rate at 3 years was 76.4% (median follow-up 744 days), with an 82.6% 3-year progression-free survival (PFS) rate (median follow-up 744 days). The most common grade 3/4 toxicities were hematologic, including neutropenia in 75.0% of the patients despite prophylactic administration of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), febrile neutropenia in 30.0%, respectively. There was no treatment-related mortality (TRM). Rituximab not only combined with chemotherapy but also given sequentially improved survival. R-VNCOP-B could be another option for elderly patients who are not considered to tolerate in receiving R-CHOP.