CEOP regimen in the treatment of advanced low-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphomas: preliminary report.

Between March 1987 and December 1988, 30 previously untreated patients with low-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHL), according to the Kiel classification, were treated by a combination of therapy including cyclophosphamide, epirubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (CEOP). Eighteen patients (60%) achieved a complete pathologic remission, and 8 patients (26.6%) had a partial response with a reduction of more than 50% of tumor-related manifestations. Four patients (13.4%) were primary resistant to CEOP. The overall survival was 96.6% with a median follow-up of 25 months from the diagnosis; none of the patients who achieved complete response relapsed at a median follow-up of 21 months from the completion of treatment. Clinical and hematologic toxicities were irrelevant. This regimen was effective in inducing a good remission rate of low-grade NHL, but a longer follow-up for definitive conclusions is warranted.