[Treatment of resistant forms and recurrence of Hodgkin's disease]

Abstract

In Hodgkin's disease, cases of resistance to initial treatment and of recurrence have a low probability of cure. Remission of less than one year and disseminated stage are the two main prognostic factors. In favourable cases (late recurrence or localised stage), conventional chemotherapy, associated or not with radiotherapy, can be suggested. In case of early relapse or disseminated stage, intensified treatment followed by autografting of hematopoietic line cells should be considered. In highly unfavourable cases associating early relapse and dissemination, to which refractory cases can be added, new therapeutic strategies should be evaluated in prospective studies.