Dose-Adjusted EPOCH Chemotherapy and Rituximab (CD20+) in Previously Untreated Aggressive Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma

Background:

The treatment of the intermediate and aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphomas in adults and
children commonly induces complete responses in a sizable fraction of the treated population,
and about 2/3 of the complete responders appear to have prolonged disease-free survival.

The present study assesses the activity and tolerability in previously untreated patients of
a regimen of EPOCH infusional chemotherapy given intensively with G-CSF support.

Objectives:

Primary:

Assess complete response (CR) and progression-free survival (PFS) of dose-adjusted
EPOCH-Rituximab (DA-EPOCH-R) with G-CSF in agressive B-cell lymphomas.

Eligibility:

Non-Hodgkin's lymphomas in the following categories: mediastinal gray zone lymphoma (MGZL)
and primary mediastinal B cell lymphoma (PMBL).

Patients greater than or equal to 12 years old.

Any Stage for PMBL and MGZL.

No prior systemic chemotherapy.

HIV negative.

Design:

This study will estimate the complete response rate of a group of previously untreated
patients and the extent to which EPOCH infusional drug delivery accompanied by a
hematopoietic growth factor can increase the dose intensity of treatment.

Patients receive prednisone orally for 5 days, a 96 hour infusion of vincristine,
doxorubicin, and etoposide, and a bolus of cyclophosphamide on day 5.

Cycles are repeated every 21 days for a total of 6-8 cycles.

Patients with CD20 expressing tumors (i.e. mature B-cell lymphomas) will also receive
rituximab, the humanized monoclonal antibody against the CD20 receptor on day 1 of each
cycle.

A total of 348 patients will be enrolled on this protocol.

- INCLUSION CRITERIA:

Non-Hodgkin's lymphomas in the following categories: mediastinal gray zone lymphoma and
primary mediastinal B cell

lymphoma.

Diagnosis confirmed by staff of the Hematopathology Section, Laboratory of Pathology, NCI.
Tissue blocks from patients treated in extramural sites must be forwarded to the NCI for
analysis of bcl-2 by IHC and other markers within 1 month of study entry.

Patients greater than or equal to 12 years old.

Stage and Prognosis of Patients: Any stage for MGZL and PMBL.

No prior systemic chemotherapy. Patients may be entered if they have had prior
limited-field radiotherapy, a short course of glucocorticoids and/or cyclophosphamide for
an urgent problem at diagnosis (e.g. epidural cord compression, superior vena cava
syndrome).

HIV negative.

Not pregnant or nursing.

Adequate major organ function [in adults: serum creatinine less than or equal to 1.5 mg/dl
or creatinine clearance greater than 60 ml/min; and in children serum CR less than or equal
to age-adjusted normal (age 12 to 15 maximum serum creatinine 1.2 mg/dl and age greater
than 15 maximum serum creatinine 1.5 mg/dl); bilirubin less than 1.5 mg/dl; ANC greater
than 1,000 and platelets greater than 100,000) unless impairment is due to organ
involvement by lymphoma or immune-mediated mechanism caused by lymphoma.

No active symptomatic ischemic heart disease, myocardial infarction or congestive heart
failure within the past year. If MUGA is obtained, the LVEF should exceed 40%.

No other serious concomitant medical illnesses or uncontrolled active infection that would
jeopardize the patient's ability to receive the regimen with reasonable safety.

No history of unrelated (non-lymphomatous) neoplasms within past 5 years other than
non-melanoma skin cancer or in-situ cancer.

Ability to give informed consent.