Successful treatment for recurrence of primary cutaneous anaplastic large‐cell lymphoma in elderly patient with etoposide, mitoxantrone, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, prednisolone and bleomycin (VNCOP‐B) therapy

Abstract

Primary cutaneous anaplastic large cell lymphoma (C-ALCL) is a malignant lymphoma with a relatively good prognosis, consisting of CD30-positive, undifferentiated, large cells. We report an elderly patient with C-ALCL which recurred after cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisone (CHOP) therapy, but was effectively treated with the third-generation etoposide, mitoxantrone, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, prednisolone and bleomycin (VNCOP-B) regimen. It is characterized by the completion of treatment in 8 weeks, its applicability on an outpatient basis, and a low incidence of cardiotoxicity and mucosal symptoms. Although our patient had no side-effects during chemotherapy, patients should be carefully monitored for side-effects, especially infection. In conclusion, the VNCOP-B regimen might be an effective treatment for elderly patients with good performance status, CHOP-resistant patients or patients with aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.