Retrospective Multicenter Real-Life Study on the First-Line Treatment of Classical Hodgkin Lymphoma in Argentina.

There are no data in Argentina on the response rates to first-line treatment of classical Hodgkin Lymphoma (cHL) outside clinical trials. A total of 498 patients from 7 public and private hospitals in Argentina were retrospectively examined. The median follow-up was 37.4 months (CI 95% 17.7-63.5). The median time from diagnosis to treatment was 22 days (IQR 14-42), which was significantly longer in public hospitals (49.3 (IC 95% 38.5-60.2) versus 32.5 (IC 95% 27-38); p = 0.0027). A total of 96.8% of patients were treated with ABVD.:84.3% achieved complete remission (CR) and 6.02% partial remission (PR), being the CR rate higher in private hospitals. End-of-treatment metabolic CR was achieved in 85.4% (n = 373). The interim PET scan was widely used in our cohort (70.5%; n = 351), but in only 23.3% (n = 116) was the treatment strategy response-adapted. The 5-year progression-free survival (PFS) was 76% (CI 95% 70-81). The 2 and 5-years-OS rates were 91% (CI 95% 88-94%) and 85% (CI 95% 80-89%), respectively. No differences in OS were found between public and private institutions (p = 0.27). This is one of the largest retrospective cHL cohorts reported. In Argentina ABVD is the chemotherapy regimen of choice and, although it is well tolerated, it is not exempt from toxicity. We showed that early initiation of treatment impacts the induction results. Although the use of PET scan is widespread, only a minority of patients was treated with respons- adapted strategies. The use of PET-guided treatment is strongly encouraged.

Primary NK/T cell lymphoma nasal type of the colon.

Since nasal NK/T-cell lymphoma and NK/T-cell lymphoma nasal type are rare diseases, colonic involvement has seldom been seen. We report a case of a patient with a primary NK/T-cell lymphoma nasal type of the colon. The patient had no history of malignant diseases and was diagnosed after exhaustive study in the context of fever of unknown origin. The first therapeutic approach followed the DA-EPOCH-protocol: etoposide, prednisone, doxor-rubicin, vincristine and cyclophosphamide. The persistence of constitutional symptoms after the first treatment course motivated the switch to a second line following the SMILE-protocol: dexamethasone, metotrexate, ifosfamide, E.coli L-asparaginase, and etoposide. Despite intensive chemotherapy, the patient died 2 months after the diagnose of an extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma of the colon and 4 months after the first symptomatic appearance of disease.