The efficiency of different combined treatment programs (combination chemotherapy-radiotherapy) used for stage I-II Hodgkin's disease

Abstract

This study presents the analysis of results obtained in 237 Hodgkin's disease patients, stages I and II, treated with combined modality therapy. The overall and disease-free survival rates at 5 years were 96.6 and 85.2%, respectively. The study has demonstrated the superiority of the following treatment program: one cycle of combination chemotherapy + radiation therapy + 5 cycles of combination chemotherapy. It has been found possible to reduce the number of radiation fields in combined modality therapy: for patients with stage IA-IIA lymphocyte predominant or nodular sclerosing Hodgkin's disease it was sufficient only to treat clinically involved sites. Short- and long-term consequences of combined modality therapy have been analysed.