6 CYCLES OF ABVD IN THE TREATMENT OF STAGE-I AND STAGE-II HODGKINS LYMPHOMA - A PILOT-STUDY

Purpose: Chemotherapy is the standard treatment in advanced Hodgkin's lymphoma and a therapeutic alternative for early stages. Although poly chemotherapy with doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine (ABVD) is equivalent or superior to mechloretamine, vincristine, proc arbazine, and prednisone (MOPP) in advanced disease, no series have be en published using ABVD without associated radiotherapy in early stage s. We report the results obtained with the administration of six cycle s of ABVD alone in clinical stage I and II disease. Patients and Metho ds: From January 1990 to October 1994, 23 patients with stage I or II Hodgkin's lymphoma were treated with six cycles of ABVD; six patients who met the criteria for mediastinal bulky disease also received radio therapy to the mediastinum. Results: After six cycles, 20 complete res ponses (CRs) and three partial responses (PRs), which become CRs after radiotherapy, were obtained. Toxicity was moderate and manageable. Wi th a median follow-up duration of 37 months (range, 12 to 75), three p atients have relapsed and one has died. Overall and progression-free s urvival rates at 42 months are 95% and 84%, respectively. Conclusion: Six cycles of ABVD are effective and safe in the treatment of stage I and II Hodgkin's lymphoma, at least in the short term, but long-term o bservation data are not yet available. (C) 1997 by American Sociefy of Clinical Oncology.