Outcome in stage III non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in children (UKCCSG study NHL 86) – how much treatment is needed?

Abstract

Over the past decade the cure rate in children with non-

The Societe Francaise d'Oncologie Pediatrique LMB89 protocol: highly effective multiagent chemotherapy tailored to the tumor burden and initial response in 561 unselected children with B-cell lymphomas and L3 leukemia

“…19,24 As shown in the LMB84 trial, the result of 3 1/2 months of treatment is very good in stage III patients, with a 5-year EFS of 91% (95% CI, 87%-94%). This EFS compares favorably with the 76% obtained in 44 patients in the United Kingdom Children's Cancer Study Group (UKCCSG) study NHL 86, 25 the 79% in 58 patients treated with "total B " therapy in the POG 8616 study, 26 the 87.5% in 48 patients (including 2 patients with high-risk stage I and II disease) in the National Cancer Institute (NCI) 89-C-41 protocol, 27 and the 88% Ϯ 6% in 171 patients in the Berlin-FrankfurtMunster (BFM) 90 study. 22 However, patients with stage III disease form a heterogeneous group with a wide range of LDH levels, reflecting differences in tumor burden, which may account for differences in results.…”

Population based survival rates for childhood cancer in Britain, 1980-91

“…Children aged 2-9 years at diagnosis had a consistently better prognosis than those aged 0-1 or 10-14; the trend towards increased survival was observed for all three age groups, though it was not significant for the youngest children. The improvement in survival in the first year was significant for both boys and girls and for children aged [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]. Increases in survival after the first year were significant for boys but not girls and for children aged 2-9 and 10-14 but not those aged 0-1.…”

The continuing challenge of treatment for non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma in children

“…Rapid scheduling has been used by the UKCCSG in the MACHO regimen with high‐dose MTX given at day 15 irrespective of blood count and was possible because of effective folic acid rescue (Pinkerton et al , 1991; Hann et al , 1988). A regimen with chemotherapy given almost weekly has also been reported (Gasparini et al , 1993).…”