SUCCESSFUL MAINTENANCE IMMUNOTHERAPY BY BCG OF NON-HODGKINS MALIGNANT-LYMPHOMAS - RESULTS OF A CONTROLLED TRIAL

Summary. Forty‐eight patients less than 65 years old, suffering non‐Hodgkin's malignant lymphomas with one or more criteria of poor prognosis, were priorly placed in complete remission by an association of chemo+radio+chemotherapy. They were then randomized to receive either BCG in weekly scarifications for 3 years or no further treatment. Five patients were excluded (four after pathological reassessment); 43 are thus evaluable. There were 13 relapses out of 23 control patients and three relapses out of 20 treated patients (0.01<P<0.025). This differenceis more distinct for clinical stages I and II (0.01<P<0.025) than for stages III and IV (not significant). Eight patients died in the control group whereas there was only one death in the treated group (0.025<P<0.05). These results indicate that BCG is useful in maintaining remission in about 40% of the cases and also in increasing their survival, especially in patients with clinical stages I or II. Copyright © 1979, Wiley Blackwell. All rights reserved