Fludarabine, mitoxantrone and dexamethasone in the treatment of indolent B- and T-cell lymphoid malignancies in Chinese patients

The treatment results of indolent lymphoid malignancies in Chinese are poorly reported. The efficacy of FND (fludarabine 25 mg/m(2)/d, x3; mitoxantrone 10 mg/m(2)/d, x1; dexamethasone 20 mg/d, x5; monthly cycles, x6) in 95 Chinese patients with indolent B-cell malignancies (at diagnosis: 55, relapse/refractory disease: 40) and nine Chinese patients with T-cell large granular lymphocyte leukaemia (T-LGL leukaemia) (at diagnosis: two, refractory disease: seven) was evaluated. For B-cell malignancies, the complete response (CR), partial response (PR) and overall response (OR) rates were 50.5%, 18% and 68.5% respectively. Better results were obtained for primary versus relapse/refractory disease (CR: 60% vs. 37.5%, P = 0.03; OR: 84% vs. 47.5%, P < 0.001; median progression-free survival (PFS): 44 months vs. 22 months; 2-year PFS: 66% vs. 47%, P = 0.039; overall survival (OS): not reached vs. 32%; 2-year OS: 92% vs. 58%, P < 0.001). Responsive patients (CR/PR) had a better median PFS (44 months vs. 5 months, P < 0.001) and OS (67 months vs. 13 months, P < 0.001) than unresponsive patients. For T-LGL leukaemia, the CR and molecular-remission rates were 56% and 67% (median follow-up: 23 months). FND is an active regimen for the treatment of indolent B- and T-cell malignancies in Chinese patients, with results comparable with Western patients with similar indolent lymphomas.