Treatment of Hodgkin’s Disease with Chemotherapy Based-Regimens: Long-term Follow-up Results with 295 Patients

OBJECTIVE Hodgkin’s disease (HD) is a chemo and radio-sensitive hematologic malignancy. At the present time, improvement of its cure rate, reduction of its long-term detrimental effects, and maintenance of a good quality of life are the major concerns in the treatment of HD. In this study the results of a long-term follow-up from our cancer center was analyzed retrospectively in terms of efficacy and collateral side effects.

METHODS The results were analyzed for 295 patients with histologically-verified HD who were treated from 1970 to 2000, especially 182 patients treated from 1980 to 2000. Multivariant analysis (COX model) was employed to elucidate the prognostic determinants.

RESULTS The 5, 10 and 20-year survival for 295 patients with HD were 63.5%. 55.8% and 47.1% respectively with a median survival time of 172 months (28-352 months). The median follow-up time was 43 months (17-352 months). The 5, 10 and 20 years overall survival and disease-free survival were 79 6%, 74.5%. 66.8% and 74 5%.69.4%, 69.4% respectively for patients treated by regular chemotherapy and radiotherapy from 1980 to 2000. The incidence of late toxicities was low. An age of ≥ 45 years, B symptoms and stage III / IV were the main prognostic determinants (P= 0.000. P =0.035 and P = 0.047) in this clinical study. Stage I/lI and nodular sclerosis were favorable factors in comparison with stages III/IV and other histologic subtypes.

CONCLUSIONS A chemotherapy-predominant modality plays an important role in the treatment of HD with promising long-term survival and fewer late toxicities. Further investigation for this simplified convenient comprehensive therapy is warranted.