LYMPHOCYTE PREDOMINANT HODGKIN-DISEASE - CLINICOPATHOLOGICAL FEATURESAND RESULTS OF TREATMENT - THE PEDIATRIC-ONCOLOGY-GROUP EXPERIENCE

Purpose. In this report, the Pediatric Oncology Group (POG) experience with lymphocyte predominant Hodgkin Disease (LPHD) in children is rev iewed. Materials and Methods. From 1984-1993, the POG conducted 3 clin ical trials for advanced stage HD and 2 for early stage HD. There were 26 cases of LPHD in 613 patients in these trials. Patients' ages rang ed from 3.1-17.8 years (mean of 12.9 years). There was a marked male p redominance. Results. Histologic subtypes were 17 nodular, 8 diffuse p attern; 1 was indeterminant. The sites involved at diagnosis were prim arily the peripheral lymph nodes. Fourteen patients had stage (S) I di sease; 9 had SII; 3 had SIII; there was no SIV disease. Only 4 of 26 p atients had B symptoms. All 26 patients achieved complete remission, 1 0 with radiotherapy, 6 with chemotherapy and 10 with combined modality therapy. Treatment was not uniform since patients were registered on different protocols. Event-free survival after 5 years was 86.5 per ce nt. Two patients developed and succumbed to large cell, T-cell type, n on-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). Conclusions. Optimal treatment for LPHD sho uld focus on efforts to limit the risk of second malignancy. (C) 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.