[Tunisian experience in the treatment of aggressive non Hodgkin's lymphoma in adults: about 337 patients].

From January 1997 to December 2005, 337 patients with aggressive non Hodgkin's lymphoma were treated with one of the two successive multicentric non randomized protocols established in Tunisia. The mean age was 53 years. Most patients had diffuse large cell lymphoma with B phenotype in 86% and T in 14%. The performance status was 2 or 3 in 34% of cases. The LDH were elevated in 74% of cases. Advanced disease (III or IV stage) was noted in 59% of cases and 10% had a tumoral mass greater than 10 cm. According to the international prognostic index (IPI) adjusted to age, we distinguish four groups: group 1 (0 factor and age < 70 years), group 2 (1-3 factors and age < or = 60 years), group 3 (1-3 factors and age between 61 and 70 years) and group 4 (1-3 factors and age > 70 years). The patients of group 1 (N = 47) received 3 courses of CHOP regimen followed by irradiation. The patients of group 2 (N = 160) received 4 courses of ACVBP regimen (+ rituximab for 21 patients) followed by consolidation (N = 92) or peripheral blood progenitor cell transplantation (N = 20). The patients of group 3 (N = 61) received 8 courses of CHOP regimen (+ rituximab for 20 patients). The patients of group 4 (N = 69) received 6 courses of mini-CEOP regimen (N = 48) or 6 courses CVP regimen (N = 21). The 4-year overall survival was 56% and the 4-year event free survival was 49%.