Reasons for failure of MOPP to cure Hodgkin's disease: The importance of dose and schedule

Abstract

Thirty-six patients with advanced Hodgkin's disease who were treated primarily with MOPP were evaluated to determine the reasons for MOPP failure. Complete remission was achieved in 22 (61%) of the patients, and the predicted 5-year survival rate for all patients is 60%. Reasons for the failure of MOPP to cure patients in this series included: 1) Idiosyncratic drug reactions in 2 patients (6%). MOPP was discontinued after one cycle because of drug-related hepatitis or skin rash; 2) Resistant disease in 8 patients (22%). Primary treatment failure was significantly associated with the presence of B symptoms (p = .005) and age greater than 40 years (p = .02); 3) Death from complicating infection in 5 patients (14%). Four patients died without evidence of Hodgkin's disease while responding to MOPP from pneumocystis pneumonia, viral pneumonia, bacterial pneumonia, or bacterial septicemia. One patient died in complete remission from sudden, overwhelming sepsis; 4) Relapse from complete remission in 4 patients (11%). All patients who relapsed had deviations from the planned dose or timing of MOPP. Remission duration was shorter (p = .06) in patients with documented deviations in MOPP administration than in patients without such changes. It appears that new treatment approaches are needed for patients with B symptoms, and that failure to deliver MOPP on schedule in the planned dose increases the risk of relapse.