14-day variant of the bleomycin, etoposide, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, procarbazine, and prednisone regimen in advanced-stage Hodgkin's lymphoma: results of a pilot study of the German Hodgkin's Lymphoma Study Group.

PURPOSE: This multicenter pilot study assessed the feasibility and efficacy of a time-intensified bleomycin, etoposide, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, procarbazine, and prednisone (BEACOPP) regimen given in 14-day intervals (BEACOPP-14) with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) support in advanced Hodgkin's lymphoma.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: From July 1997 until March 2000, 94 patients with Hodgkin's lymphoma stage IIB, III, and IV were scheduled to receive eight cycles of BEACOPP-14. Consolidation radiotherapy was administered to regions with initial bulky disease or residual tumor after chemotherapy.

RESULTS: All patients were assessable for toxicity and treatment outcome. Eighty-six patients received the planned eight cycles of BEACOPP-14. Consolidation radiotherapy was given in 66 patients. Chemotherapy could generally be administered on schedule. Dose reductions varied among drugs but were generally low. Acute toxicity was moderate, with World Health Organization grade 3/4 leukopenia in 75%, thrombocytopenia in 23%, anemia in 65%, and infection in 12% of patients. A total of 88 patients (94%) achieved a complete remission. Four patients had progressive disease. At a median observation time of 34 months, five patients have relapsed, one patient developed a secondary non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and three deaths were documented. The overall survival and freedom from treatment failure rates at 34 months were 97% (95% confidence interval [CI], 93% to 100%) and 90% (95% CI, 84% to 97%), respectively.

CONCLUSION: Acceleration of the BEACOPP baseline regimen by shortening cycle duration with G-CSF support is feasible and effective with moderate acute toxicity. On the basis of these results, the German Hodgkin's Lymphoma Study Group will compare the BEACOPP-14 regimen with BEACOPP-21 escalated in a prospective multicenter randomized trial.