The objective of this multicenter prospective study was to determine the clinical efficacy and toxicity of a polychemotherapeutic third generation regimen, VACOP-B, with or without radiotherapy as front-line therapy in aggressive localized non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Ninety-three adult patients (47 males and 46 females, median age 45 years) with aggressive localized non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, 43 in stage I and 50 in stage II (non-bulky), were included in the study. Stage I patients received VACOP-B for 6 weeks plus involved field radiotherapy and stage II patients received 12 weeks VACOP-B plus involved field radiotherapy on residual masses. Eighty-six (92.5%) achieved complete remission and 4 (4.3%) partial remission. Three patients (3.2%) were primarily resistant. Ten-year probability of survival, progression-free survival and disease-free survival were 87.3, 79.9 and 83.9%, respectively. Eighty-four patients are surviving at a median observation time of 57 months (range: 6-126). Statistical analysis showed no difference between stages I and II in terms of response, ten-year probability of survival, progression-free survival or disease-free survival. Side effects and toxicity were negligible and were similar in the two patient groups. The results of this prospective study suggest that 6 weeks of VACOP-B treatment plus radiotherapy may be the therapy of choice in stage I aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Twelve weeks of VACOP-B treatment with or without radiotherapy was shown to be effective and feasible for stage II. These observations need to be confirmed by a phase III study comparing first and third generation protocols in stage I-II aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

O transplante autólogo de célula progenitora ou medula óssea (ATMO) tem demonstrado capacidade de superar resistência tumoral através da elevação da intensidade de dose de drogas disponíveis e radioterapia. ATMO foi inicialmente utilizado em LNH após recidiva em primeira linha ou refratários. ATMO tem demonstrado maior utilidade em condições clínicas mais favoráveis como na remissão parcial (RP), primeira remissão completa (RC) e como primeira linha após quimioterapia. Quimioterapia de alta dose e ATMO se tornaram a terapêutica standard para pacientes elegíveis com LNH agressivo, recorrente e quimiosensível. Pacientes primariamente refratários e com recidiva resistente não são boas indicações e devem ser considerados como grupo elegível para estudos de fase II. Talvez, haja um papel do ATMO em pacientes parcialmente responsivos. Entretanto, novos e grandes estudos randomizados são necessários para esclarecer esta questão. Um desafio para o manuseio dos linfomas é a definição da terapia de alta dose seguida do ATMO como terapêutica inicial para os LNH agressivos, identificando pacientes que não possam ser curados com terapêutica convencional. Uma série de estudos retrospectivos ou controlados parece indicar os chamados pacientes de "alto-risco", definido pela IPI como potencial alvo destas terapêuticas intensificadas. Entretanto, de acordo com dados publicados, o problema permanece aberto para debates. Estudos grandes e randomizados são necessários e bem vindos e devem ser considerados prioridade neste campo da ciência médica.

Autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) has been seen to overcome resistance, allowing an increase in the dose of available drugs and radiotherapy. Initially used after first-line for relapsed or refractory non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHL), ASCT has since been used in more favourable clinical conditions such as partial remission (PR), first completeremission, and as front-line therapy following chemotherapy. High-dose chemotherapy and autologous stem-cell transplantation has now became the standard care for eligible patients with recurrent, chemosensitive aggressive NHL. Primary refractory patients and resistant relapse are not good indications and should be considered a group eligible for phase II studies. There may also be a role in patients with partially responsive disease. However new and larger randomised studies are needed to clarify this question. A challenge for lymphoma management is the evaluation of the role of high-dose therapy and ASCT as an initial treatment in aggressive NHL, identifying patients who will not be cured with standard therapy. A series of concurrent or retrospective analysis would indicate so-called "higher-risk patients", as defined by the IPI, as potential targets for intensified therapy. However, according to published data, the problem remains open to debate. Larger, randomised studies are necessary and welcome and this should be considered a high priority.