Activity of 2-chlorodeoxyadenosine (Cladribine) in 2-hour intravenous infusion in 94 previously treated patients with low grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

The purpose of our study was to determine the efficacy of 2-chlorodeoxyadenosine (2-CdA) administered in 2-hour intravenous infusions in previously treated patients with low grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (LGNHL). We treated 94 LGNHL patients with 2-CdA at a dosage of 0.12 mg/kg/24h in 2-hour intravenous infusion for 5 consecutive days. The treatment consisted of from 1 to 7 courses (median 3), repeated usually at monthly intervals. All patients were refractory to or relapsed after standard chemotherapy. Of these 94 patients 78 (83%) had clinical stage IV of the disease. Complete response (CR) was obtained in 12 (12.8%) and partial response (PR) in 36 (38.3%) giving an overall response rate of 51.1%. In 12 (12.8%) grade 4 thrombocytopenia with haemorrhagic diathesis was noted, grade 4 neutropenia was observed in 12 (12.8%) and infections complicated the course of treatment in 38 (40.4%) patients. 2-CdA treatment was the cause of death of 3 patients. The results of our study show that 2-CdA given in 2-hour infusions is an effective agent in advanced, heavily pretreated patients with LGNHL.