Clinical Analysis Of Fludarabine In Indolent Lymphoma

Objective:To evaluate the safety and efficacy of Fludarabine-based chemotherapy in indolent lymphoma.Methods: 17 cases of indolent lymphoma treated in our hospital from 2004 to 2007 were analyszad retrospecitively by their clinical features and treatments. All patients were treated with intravenous fludarabine at a dose of 25mg/m~2 per day for 5 days or with fludarabine-based chemotherapy regimens(FM: fludarabine 25 mg/m~2/d for three days, mitoxantrone 10 mg/m~2/d on day one; FMD: FM plus dexamethasone 20 mg on days one to five; FC: fludarabine 25 mg/m~2/d and cyclophosphamide 250 mg/m~2/d for three days; R-FMD: rituximab 375 mg/m~2 on day one plus FMD on days two to six) repeated at 4-week intervals.Results: Of the 17 patients, received a total of 73 cycles of chemotherapy (a mean of 4.3 cycles),4 (23.5%) obtained a completeresponse, 9 (53%) a partial response, 2 SD and 2 PD,with an overall response rate of 76.5%. The predominant toxic effects were myelosuppression. Overall, grade III or IV neutropenia was observed in 8 patients (47.1%) and grade III or IV thrombocytopenia in 4 (23.5%). Infections occurred in 11 cases,including 6 cases of upper respiratory infection, 1 case of pneumonia,2 cases of septemia and 2 cases of intestinal infection. Other adverse effects observed were exanthema(l case),secondary pure red cell aplasia(1 case), hepatic toxicity(lcase)and grade three to four nausea and vomiting(1 case). No renal or neurologic toxicity occurred.Conclusion: Fludarabine alone or combined with other drugs is effective and well tolerated for patient with indolent lymphoma.