COMBINED-MODALITY THERAPY IN ADVANCED HODGKINS-DISEASE - A REPORT ON 218 PATIENTS WITH A MEDIAN FOLLOW-UP OF 8 YEARS

Background and Objective. This study was designed to evaluate the effi cacy and toxicity of monthly alternating ABVD/MOPP compared to ABVD/OP P regimens in patients with advanced stage Hodgkin's disease (HD), as well as in early stage patients with systemic symptoms and/or bulky di sease. Design and Methods. 218 patients with previously untreated HD e ntered this study: 106 patients in arm A (ABVD/MOPP) and 112 in arm B (ABVD/OPP). Patients received eight courses of one of the two regimens after stratification according to the stage. Patients in complete rem ission (CR) received 20 Gy to the involved field and 40 Gy to the sple en. The actuarial survival curves were performed according to Kaplan a nd Meier. Results. No statistically significant differences were obser ved between the two arms in terms of CR rate and toxicity. However, an alysis of total relapses revealed that patients treated with ABVD/OPP had a significantly higher likelihood of achieving a second CR compare d to patients who entered the ABVD/MOPP arm. Interpretation and Conclu sions. both schemes of chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy produce h igh percentages of CR, low risk of relapse and an acceptable toxicity. (C)1998, Ferrata Storti Foundation.