LY06
A multicentre evaluation of National Cancer Institute protocol 89-C-41 (with minor modifications) in Burkitt or Burkitt-like non-Hodgkin lymphoma
Can a combination of chemotherapy drugs help to treat people with Burkitt lymphoma?
What was this study about?
Burkitt lymphoma is a rare form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma – a cancer of the lymph system that usually occurs in one part of the body. It is a very rare cancer in the UK, and if untreated is usually rapidly fatal. In the early 1990s, this cancer was usually treated with chemotherapy. This helped some people to live longer. But doctors working at the National Cancer Institute in the USA treated a small number of people with a different combination of chemotherapy drugs. This seemed to help more people to live for longer.
The aim of the LY06 trial was to test out these results in a larger group of patients with Burkitt lymphoma. This was a non-randomised phase II study.
What difference did this study make?
This study found that the new combination of chemotherapy drugs did help many people to live. There were many side effects with this intensive treatment.
The study showed that this combination of chemotherapy drugs had good outcomes and this became the standard of care. The results led to the development of the LY10 study which investigated whether the chemotherapy could be given to a wider group of patients with fewer side-effects.
Type of study
Non-randomised trial
Contact details
Who funded the study?
This trial was funded with a grant from the charity the Cancer Research Campaign (now Cancer Research UK) and supported by Medical Research Council core funds.
When did it take place?
This study recruited patients between 1995 and 1999. The results were published in 2002.
Who was included?
88 people people took part in this trial, 52 of whom were confirmed to have Burkitt lymphoma.