A retrospective study of the CHOP, CHOPE, and CHOPE/G regimens as the first-line treatment of peripheral T-cell lymphomas

The standard treatment for peripheral T-cell lymphomas (PTCLs) is undetermined. We designed a CHOPE/G regimen (cyclophosphamide, pirarubicin, vincristine, prednisolone, and etoposide alternating with a gemcitabine-based regimen) as the first-line treatment of PTCLs and compared with CHOP (cyclophosphamide, pirarubicin, vincristine, and prednisolone) and CHOPE (CHOP plus etoposide) regimen to evaluate the optimal chemotherapy regimen.

116 previously untreated PTCL patients received CHOP (N = 46), CHOPE (N = 46), or CHOPE/G (N = 24) regimen at Peking University Cancer Hospital from 2009 to 2017 and were retrospectively analyzed.

The overall response rates (ORRs) of the CHOP, CHOPE, and CHOPE/G groups were 82.6%, 76.1%, and 75.0% (p = 0.673), with complete response (CR) rates of 32.6%, 56.5%, and 45.7% (p = 0.063), respectively. Within a median follow-up time of 35.5 months, the 3-year overall survival (OS) rates of the CHOP, CHOPE, and CHOPE/G groups were 37.0%, 47.0%, and 56.3% (p = 0.107), and the 3-year progression-free survival (PFS) rates were 19.9%, 29.9%, and 5.3% (p = 0.093), respectively. Compared with the CHOP regimen alone, CHOPE had a significantly higher CR rate (p = 0.021) with more favorable OS (p = 0.046). The CHOPE/G regimen did not improve the ORR, CR rate, or OS compared with either the CHOP or CHOPE, with a significantly poorer PFS compared with the CHOPE regimen (p = 0.029). Anemia and thrombocytopenia occurred most frequently in the CHOPE/G group (anemia 83.3%, p = 0.035; thrombocytopenia 50%, p = 0.015).

Compared with CHOP alone, CHOPE regimen improved the efficacy and survival; while the addition of gemcitabine in the front-line therapy resulted in more adverse events without benefit of survival.