title: The residual mediastinal mass following radiation therapy for Hodgkin's disease.
abstract: Thirty-two patients with mediastinal involvement by Hodgkin's disease (HD), treated with an isocentric technique of extended-field radiation therapy (RT) with or without chemotherapy, are described. Twenty-nine patients (91%) had a complete response to therapy and four patients subsequently relapsed, with a median follow-up of 54 months. Five of seven patients not in continuous complete remission were salvaged, with one additional salvage therapy. Ten patients had persistent mediastinal masses at 1 year, following completion of planned therapy; only one of these has had recurrent disease. Of those who achieved complete response, only one patient has had disease recurrence in the mediastinum. We conclude that extended-field RT, using an isocentric technique, provides excellent local disease control in HD; however, persistent mediastinal widening after therapy is frequent, and additional therapy should not be given in the absence of conclusive evidence of disease progression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha 68105.
authors.forename: L D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Glenn
authors.forename: P P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Kumar
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006689:Hodgkin Disease / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008479:Mediastinal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011859:Radiography; D012008:Recurrence; D012074:Remission Induction; D015996:Survival Rate