Background: Intensified immunochemotherapy with rituximab, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, vindesine, bleomycin, and prednisone (R-ACVBP) improves outcomes in younger adults with diffuse large B-cell lymphomas (DLBCL) compared with R-CHOP. Due to vindesine unavailability, we assessed the safety and efficacy of replacing vindesine with vincristine in a modified R-ACVBP protocol (mR-ACVBP).
Methods: This is a retrospective study including all consecutive adult patients with newly diagnosed DLBCL who received first-line mR-ACVBP. Vindesine was replaced with vincristine 1.5 mg on days 1 and 5 of each cycle. Responders continued with published R-ACVBP consolidation. Patients with inadequate response on interim imaging were offered consolidative autologous stem cell transplantation.
Results: We identified 56 patients with DLBCL, with a median age of 41 years (range, 21-67). Thirty-seven (66%) patients had an age-adjusted International Prognostic Index of ≥ 2. Complete response was achieved in 41 (80%) patients and partial response in 6 (12%). The most common adverse events during induction were anemia (91%), febrile neutropenia (64%; grade 4 in 46%), thrombocytopenia (39%), and mucositis (21%). Peripheral neuropathy was encountered in 7 (12%) patients (grade 3; n = 1). Two deaths from septic shock were reported in patients with initial poor performance status. After a median follow-up of 17 months, the 2-year progression-free survival and overall survival rates were 86% and 87%, respectively.
Conclusion: The replacement of vindesine with vincristine in mR-ACVBP seems feasible, with manageable adverse events and excellent 2-year progression-free survival. These data need validation in larger prospective trials.
Keywords: DLBCL; High-grade B-cell lymphoma; R-ACVBP; Vincristine; Vindesine.
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