Long-term remission durability and functional status of patients treated for diffuse histiocytic lymphoma with the CHOP regimen.

Thirty-eight (51%) of 75 patients treated with CHOP for diffuse histiocytic lymphoma achieved complete remission. Twenty-three of the complete responders are currently alive in complete remission 24-78 months (median, 38 months) after discontinuing therapy. Eleven patients died from recurrent lymphoma and four patients died in complete remission from other causes. Evaluation of the 23 patients alive in complete remission found them mostly well and without serious sequelae to therapy. Comparison with 20 patients who were in the same age range, were disease free after surgery, and had no other therapy for colon cancer revealed only an increased frequency of sexual dysfunction in the chemotherapy-treated lymphoma patients. Sixty-one percent of patients who achieved complete remission with the CHOP regimen are long-term disease-free survivors and are generally well except for an apparently high frequency of sexual dysfunction.