[Results of the synchronization therapy with vincristine and cyclophosphamide in lymphogranulomatosis, reticulum cell sarcoma and lymphosarcoma. A phase II study (author's transl)].
The effectiveness of synchronization therapy was tested on 88 patients who had already undergone some form of treatment for lymphogranulomatosis (stage III B and IV), generalized reticulum cell sarcoma or lymphosarcoma. This therapeutical concept is based on a partial synchronic increase in tumor cells induced by noncytocidal doses of vincristine, followed by cytostatic or cytocidal treatment with cyclophosphamide during DNA synthesis of the partially synchronized tumor cells. The therapeutic plan is similar to a single-agent therapy. In lymphogranulomatosis, complete remission could be achieved in 14 out of 19 cases (stage III B) and in 9 out of 24 cases (stage IV). The mean remission period during an orally administered cytostatic maintenance therapy was 15 1/2 months. The highest rate of remission was found in the mixed cell type of granulomas (23 out of 24 patients). In the non-Hodgkin's lymphomas, complete remission was achieved in 13 out of 30 cases (lymphosarcoma) and in 19 out of 15 cases (reticulum cell sarcoma). The mean remission period for orally administered cytostatic maintenance therapy was 16 months for lymphosarcoma and 11 1/2 months for reticulum cell sarcoma. These therapeutic results are comparable to those achieved by very effective schemes of combination chemotherapy but the toxic side-effects of synchronization therapy are considerably lower.