Between 1979 and 1985 61 consecutive patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphomas of unfavourable histology (mostly diffuse large cell lymphomas subclassified according to Kiel nomenclature) were treated in our departments by either the CHOP-(n = 34) or the COPBLAM-regimen (n = 27). A retrospective analysis revealed that prognostic variables, excluding primary central nervous system (CNS)-involvement (n = 5), were equally distributed between both groups. Remission rates were significantly higher in the COPBLAM treated patients as compared with the CHOP treated group (85 per cent versus 38 per cent CR, P= 0.001) even when cases with primary CNS-disease were excluded. The survival curve did not reach a plateau in CHOP treated cases, whereas 85 per cent of the COPBLAM treated group reached a plateau by 15 months. The mean observation time, however, was shorter in the COPBLAM treated group (37 versus 30 months, respectively).
It is concluded that the COPBLAM regimen is superior to the CHOP-protocol in inducing complete responses in aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphomas. Longer follow-ups are needed to definitely show if this corresponds to an increased proportion of 'cures'.