Anaplastic large cell lymphoma in childhood: analysis of 72 patients treated on The United Kingdom Children's Cancer Study Group chemotherapy regimens.

From June 1990 to June 1998, 72 patients with anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) were treated with short intensive multi-agent regimens [non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) 9000 and 9602]. Diagnosis was based on morphological and immunophenotypic criteria. Treatment for stage I disease consisted of eight courses (2 x vincristine, doxorubicin, prednisolone; 2 x methotrexate; 2 x cytarabine, thioguanine; and 2 x methotrexate etoposide). For stage II, III and non-central nervous system (CNS) stage IV, two COPADM (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, prednisolone, methotrexate, vincristine), two CYM (cytarabine methotrexate) and a COPADM was given. For CNS-positive disease, treatment was intensified and contained methotrexate 8 g/m(2) and cytarabine 3 g/m(2). Fifty-nine patients (82%) achieved a remission. Thirteen of these relapsed, with a median time to relapse from the start of treatment of 5 months (range 3-14). Relapse included a new site in 9/13 patients. The probabilities of overall and event free survival at 5 years were 65% (53-76%) and 59% (47-70%), respectively, with a median follow up of 4.3 years. Mediastinal and visceral involvement at presentation were found to be predictive of an increased risk of failure.