Fludarabine combined with pirarubicin chemotherapy for patients with relapsed or refractory indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma

Abstract

Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of fludarabine and pirarubicin (FT) regimen in the treatment of refractory or relapsed indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). Methods A total of 40 patients with relapsed or refractory indolent NHL were treated with FT regimen, one cycle for 28 days, total 6 cycles. The data of indolent NHL patients treated with fludarabine, noventrene and dexamethasone (FND) regimen were collected as control. Results 40 patients were given 228 cycles chemotherapy, overall response rate was 62.5 %, median progression-free survival was more than 20 months and 2 years overall survival rate was 70.0 %. The main toxicities was leucopenia (80.0 %), but the incidence of WHO Ⅲ-Ⅳ leucopenia and pneumonia was less than that of in the control group, the rate were 12.5 % vs 29.0 % and 2.5 % vs 23.0 % respectively (P <0.05). Conclusion The efficacy of FT regimen was as good as FND regimen, but the incidence of leucopenia and pneumonia by Ⅲ-Ⅳ was lower in FT group than in FND group. So the FT regimen was an effective and safe second-line salvage regimen for relapsed or refractory indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Key words: Lymphoma, non-Hodgkin; Fludarabine; Piranubicin