Premium
Protected environment–Prophylactic antibiotic program for malignant sarcomas: Randomized trial during remission induction chemotherapy
Author(s) -
Bodey Gerald P.,
Rodriguez Victorio,
Murphy William K.,
Burgess M. Andrew,
Benjamin Robert S.
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/1097-0142(19810515)47:10<2422::aid-cncr2820471017>3.0.co;2-y
Subject(s) - medicine , vincristine , cyclophosphamide , chemotherapy , complete remission , induction chemotherapy , randomized controlled trial , case fatality rate , antibiotics , surgery , complete response , epidemiology , microbiology and biotechnology , biology
Fifty‐one evaluable patients with malignant sarcomas were randomly allocated to receive three courses of remission induction chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide, vincristine, Adriamycin, and dimethyl triazeno imidazole carboxamide (CYVADIC) on the protected environment‐prophylactic antibiotic (PEPA) program 24 or as controls. 27 The complete remission rate was 33% for the PEPA group and 15% for the control group ( P = 0.22). The response rates (complete plus partial) were 71% and 67%, respectively. The durations of response were similar for both groups of patients, but the PEPA patients survived substantially longer (median, 84 weeks vs. 58 weeks). The frequency of infection was significantly lower among the PEPA patients, and the doses of CYVADIC could be escalated more often among these patients. Dosage escalation was associated with a higher complete remission rate and lower fatality rate.