Methylguazone, vindesine and cisplatin for the treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory malignant lymphoma: An Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group study (PA482)

A new regimen not cross-resistant with standard regimens was developed for patients with relapsed or refractory Hodgkin's disease and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The regimen consisted of cisplatin, 70 mg/M² given intravenously on day 1, vindesine, 3 mg/M² given intravenously on days 1 and 8 (and also on day 15 of the first cycle only), and methylguazone, 600 mg/M² given intravenously on days 8 and 15. Courses were repeated every 21 days. Thirty-nine patients (35 with non-Hodgkin's and 4 with Hodgkin's lymphoma) were treated and all were evaluable for response and toxicity. There were 5 complete and 14 partial responses for a total response rate of 49% (C.I. = 35%-63%). The median durations of partial and complete response were only 2.8 and 4.2 months, respectively. Only one patient remained in complete response for more than a year. There was one treatment-related death from renal failure on the study. Although this regimen was, in general, well tolerated the results are disappointing and seem no better than those obtained with many other salvage regimens for lymphoma.