[The use of betamethasone in polychemotherapy of lymphoproliferative diseases].

In recent years very encouraging results have been obtained in the treatment of lymphoproliferative disorders with the use of combination chemotherapy regimens. We have treated with protocols including betamethasone 29 patients with Hodgkin's disease, 33 affected by non-Hodgkin's lymphomas, 29 with chronic lymphocytic leukemia, 7 with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and 9 patients affected by multiple myeloma. Results have been very satisfactory in patients with advanced stage Hodgkin's disease (67% complete remission), in high malignancy non Hodgkin's lymphomas (47% complete remission) and in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (100% of patients in complete remission). Our results suggest that the use of betamethasone as a part of combination chemotherapy regimens may be very useful in the treatment of lymphoproliferative disorders.