Combination chemotherapy for mycosis fungoides: a Southwest Oncology Group study

• Published in: Cancer treatment reports Vol. 63; no. 4; p. 647
• Main Authors: Grozea, P N, Jones, S E, McKelvey, E M, Coltman, Jr, C A, Fisher, R, Haskins, C L
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01-04-1979
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Antineoplastic Agents - administration & dosage; Bleomycin - administration & dosage; Clinical Trials as Topic; Cyclophosphamide - administration & dosage; Doxorubicin - administration & dosage; Drug Therapy, Combination; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Mycosis Fungoides - drug therapy; Prednisone - administration & dosage; Remission, Spontaneous; Skin Neoplasms - drug therapy; Time Factors; Vincristine - administration & dosage
• ISSN: 0361-5960

Between 1972 and 1977, the Southwest Oncology Group studied the following three chemotherapy programs for the treatment of patients with advanced forms of mycosis fungoides: (a) cyclophosphamide, adriamycin, vincristine, and prednisone (CHOP) (seven patients); (b) adriamycin, vincristine, and prednisone (HOP) (five patients); and (c) cyclophosphamide, vincristine, prednisone, and bleomycin (COP plus bleomycin) (12 patients). Among the 24 evaluable patients there was an overall objective response rate of 95% with seven (29%) achieving a complete remission. With the adriamycin-containing chemotherapy, five (42%) of 12 patients achieved a complete remission compared to two (17%) of 12 patients treated with COP plus bleomycin. The median duration of remission (partial plus complete) was longer with the COP plus bleomycin combination (median, 47 weeks) than with the adriamycin-containing combinations (median, 22 weeks; P = 0.03). The median survival for all 24 evaluable patients was 95 weeks and was similar regardless of remission-induction therapy. In summary, combination chemotherapy proved to be effective palliative therapy for advanced mycosis fungoides.