Modified Irinotecan Plus Cisplatin and Dexamethasone (ICD) Combination Chemotherapy as Salvage Chemotherapy for Patients with Relapsed/Refractory Diffuse Large Cell Lymphoma.

About 50 % of patients with diffuse large cell lymphoma are candidate for salvage chemotherapy followed by bone marrow transplantation in the selected patients. In the current study we evaluated modified ICD (Irinotecan, Cisplatin, and Dexamethasone with G-CSF support) as salvage chemotherapy in the patients previously treated with R-CHOP or CHOP. In a retrospective study we evaluated 16 patients treated with modified ICD: irinotecan 65 mg/m(2) (max 100 mg)/day plus cisplatin 30 mg/m(2) (max 50 mg)/day and dexamethasone 40 mg/day on days 1 and 8. Prednisolone 200 mg divided in 2 doses was given orally on days 2 and 9. G-CSF (PDgrastim) was administered at 300 μg/day subcutaneously on days 4-6 and 11-13. pre- and post-hydration was given according to our hospital protocol. Overall response rate was 75 % for all of the patients and 90 % for the patients treated as first line salvage. The median overall survival was 23 ± 12 months. There was no grade 3/4 of neutropenia and no cycles of chemotherapy were delayed due to leucopenia. Modified ICD might be an effective salvage regimen for refractory/relapsed lymphoma patients. Unlike original ICD, leucopenia does not seem to be a limiting factor. So we conclude that modified ICD shall be considered as a safe and effective regimen for salvage chemotherapy in refractory/relapsed patients.