CHLVPP IS AS EFFECTIVE AS ALTERNATING CHLVPP ABOD IN ADVANCED-STAGE HODGKINS-DISEASE/

The purpose of the study was to evaluate and compare the efficacy and tolerability of two cytostatic regimens-chlorambucil, vinblastine, pro carbazine and prednisone (ChlVPP) vs. ChlVPP alternating with doxorubi cin, bleomycin, vincristine and dacarbazine (ABOD). One hundred eligib le patients with stage IIIA-IVB Hodgkin's disease were randomized to e ither ChlVPP or ChlVPP alternating with ABOD. The complete response ra te (CR) was 80% in both treatment groups. After a median follow-up tim e of 59 months, 42 (84%) of the patients in the ChlVPP-treated group w ere in CR compared with 39 (78%) treated with ChlVPP/ABOD. The estimat ed five-year overall and relapse-free survival rates were 87% and 74%, respectively, for the ChlVPP-treated patients and 76% and 73% for the ChlVPP/ABOD-treated patients, The ChlVPP regimen showed a slightly be tter subjective tolerance than the ChlVPP/ABOD regimen. The given dose intensity was very close to optimal, and equal for the two regimens.