THE RESPONSE OF DIFFUSE LARGE-CELL AND OTHER INTERMEDIATE GRADE NON-HODGKINS-LYMPHOMAS TO ADRIAMYCIN CONTAINING COMBINATION CHEMOTHERAPY

Adriamycin containing combination chemotherapy (ACCC) is usually deliv ered to patients with stages III, IV diffuse large cell (DLCL) non-Hod gkin's lymphoma (NHL). Although this mode of therapy is also commonly used in other intermediate grade lymphomas, it's role in the latter su bset of patients is not well defined. In a retrospective analysis we e valuated and compared the outcome of previously untreated DLCL and non -DLCL intermediate grade lymphoma patients who received as initial the rapy, ''first generation'' ACCC. No differences in response and relaps e rates between these subgroups were observed. The trend towards the s urvival advantage observed for the non-DLCL patients, is probably due to a lower mortality over 5-8 years, for complete responders.