• Markus Raderer, Stefan Wohrer, Berthold Streubel, Johannes Drach, Ulrich Jager, Karl Turetschek, Marlene Troch, Andreas Puspok, Christoph C Zielinski, and Andreas Chott.
• Department of Internal Medicine I, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria. markus.raderer@meduniwien.ac.at
• Oncology. 2006 Jan 1; 70 (6): 411-7.

BackgroundVarious chemotherapeutic agents as well as the anti-CD20 antibody rituximab (R) have been tested in patients with mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma, but no standard chemotherapeutic regimen has emerged so far. Judging from the data obtained in various types of lymphoma, the activity of R appears to be enhanced by combination with chemotherapy. As no data on this topic exist for MALT lymphoma, we have retrospectively analysed our experience with R plus cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin/mitoxantrone, vincristine and prednisone (R-CHOP/R-CNOP) in patients with relapsed MALT lymphoma.Patients And MethodsA total of 26 patients were identified, 15 were administered R-CHOP while 11 patients were given R-CNOP due to age >65 years or pre-existing cardiac conditions. Cycles were repeated every 21 days, and restaging was performed after 4 cycles of therapy. In case of complete remission, 2 further cycles were administered for consolidation while patients achieving partial remission or stable disease after restaging were given 4 further courses.ResultsA total of 170 cycles were administered to our patients (median 6, range 2-8). Twenty of the 26 patients (77%) achieved a complete remission and 6 (23%) a partial remission. Toxicities were mainly haematological, with WHO grade III/IV leukocytopenia occurring in 5 patients. After a median follow-up of 19 months (range 10-45), all patients are alive: 22 are in ongoing remission, while 4 have relapsed between 12 and 19 months after treatment.ConclusionsOur data demonstrate a high activity of R-CHOP/R-CNOP in relapsing MALT lymphoma irrespective of prior therapy.Copyright 2006 S. Karger AG, Basel.

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