A pilot study of epidoxorubicin (NSC 256942) in combination treatment of acute leukaemia and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Epidoxorubicin (EDX) was administered to a group of 26 patients with acute leukaemia or lymphoma, replacing either daunorubicin or doxorubicin (DXR) as a component of multiple-chemotherapy regimens. In 10 patients with acute non-lymphocytic leukaemia treated at presentation, 5 complete and 4 partial remissions were obtained. All patients with lymphoma of different types responded at least partially: in a group of 14 cases, 8 in relapse and 6 at presentation, there were 10 complete and 4 partial remissions. It is of interest that such results were obtained in patients of high median age with dosages of EDX much lower than those employed for DXR.