Abstract
Forty-six Japanese patients with lymphoma type of adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) were treated with one of the 4–drug combinations, CHOP or VEPA regimen. Fourteen patients were treated with CHOP, while 32 were treated with VEPA. The complete response i(CR) rate and the 5–year survival rate of patients treated with CHOP were 35.7% and 7.1%, respectively, while for those treated with VEPA the rates were 43.8% and 18.7%, respectively. Only two patients treated with CHOP survived for more than 1 year, while the others died within 1 year. On the other hand, 13 patients treated with VEPA survived for more than 1 year. The 32 VEF'A-treated patients were divided into two groups according to the duration of survival: (A) 13 surviving for more than 1 year, and (B) 19 surviving for less than 1 year. They were compared for pretreatment characteristics. The differences between the two groups related to hepatomegaly, the presence of B symptoms, lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) and calcium levels. The results indicate that these factors are important in predicting the response and survival of patients with lymphoma type of ATL.