LACTATE-DEHYDROGENASE (LDH) CHANGES DURING CHEMOTHERAPY SUPPORTED BY RECOMBINANT GRANULOCYTE-COLONY-STIMULATING FACTOR (RG-CSF) IN MALIGNANT-LYMPHOMA

Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels sometimes act as a good index of re sponse to the treatment of malignant lymphoma. The cause of increases in LDH levels during chemotherapy with recombinant granulocyte colony- stimulating factor (rG-CSF) is not always clear, i.e. whether or not t hese increases are because of the disease activity or are a side effec t of rG-CSF therapy. In this study we evaluated the changes in LDH lev els during chemotherapy supported by rG-CSF in patients with malignant lymphoma. A total of 128 courses of rG-CSF chemotherapy were administ ered to 42 patients with malignant lymphoma. 87 (66%) of these treatme nt courses were associated with abnormalities in LDH levels, white blo od cell count (WBC) and/or alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels. We found significant correlations between the dose of rG-CSF and the frequency of ALP and WBC, but not LDH, abnormalities. Increases in LDH levels d uring chemotherapy were more frequently seen in patients who had eleva ted pretreatment LDH levels. Although increases in LDH levels may be a side effect of rG-CSF therapy, we must be aware of the probability th at they may represent the activity of malignant lymphoma, especially i n patients with increased pretreatment LDH levels.