TREATMENT RESULTS OF HODGKINS-DISEASE IN INDIAN CHILDREN

This is a retrospective study of Hodgkin's disease in children less th an 15 years of age who were registered at Tata Memorial Hospital in In dia from January 1985 through December 1990. Clinicopathologic charact eristics and response were evaluated in 147 patients and survival was calculated in 187. There were 126 boys and 21 girls (6:1). All patient s were treated with combination chemotherapy and involved field radiot herapy. The COPP schedule was given to 108 patients, COPP/ABVD to 33, and ABVD to 6. Ninety-three patients (63%) had stage I or II disease a nd 54 (37%) had stage III or IV disease. B symptoms were observed in 6 5 patients (56%) and bulky disease in 40 (27%). Histologically, the mo st common subtype was mixed cellularity, seen in 95 patients (65%). Co mplete response was observed in 136 (89%), partial response in 6 (4%), and there were 4 treatment-related deaths. Relapse has been observed in 11%. Seven-year actuarial survival was 73% and event-free survival was 64%. Median survival has not yet been reached, with a median follo w-up of 36 months.