Abstract
BACKGROUND
Myelosuppression and immunosuppression occur with purine analogs. The objective of the current study was to investigate the effects of combined fludarabine, mitoxantrone, and dexamethasone (FND) followed by interferon/dexamethasone on myelosuppression (absolute neutrophil counts), immunosuppression (CD4 and CD8 counts), and infectious complications in patients with previously untreated, Stage IV indolent lymphoma.
METHODS
Seventyβthree patients were treated. All patients received Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) prophylaxis. CD4 and CD8 counts, serum immunoglobulin (Ig) levels, and neutrophil counts were correlated with infectious complications.
RESULTS
The median followβup was 6.1 years. Sixty of 73 patients had CD4, CD8, or Ig measurements. The median baseline CD4 count was 764/ΞΌL: This CD4 level decreased to 238/ΞΌL at 1 year and to 264/ΞΌL at 2 years; and it rose to 431/ΞΌL by 3 years and to 650/ΞΌL at 4 years. CD8 counts did not change significantly. The median baseline serum IgG level was 989 mg/d, decreased to 536 mg/dL at 1 year and to 693 mg/dL at 2 years, and it rose to 949 mg/dL at 3 years and to 1080 mg/dL at 4 years. Fourteen patients (19%) developed Grade 3β4 infections, the majority during FND therapy with neutropenia and/or accompanied by CD4 counts < 200/ΞΌL. CD4, CD8, and neutrophil counts did not differ between patients who developed Grade 3β4 infections, Grade 1β2 infections, or no infections.
CONCLUSIONS
Most infections with FND occurred during FND, in the setting of neutropenia, often with concurrent low CD4 counts. The overall safety profile for FND was good. However, patients should be monitored for opportunistic infections, and prophylactic antibiotics are recommended, particularly against PCP. Cancer 2005. Β© 2005 American Cancer Society.