title: Long-term results from MOPPEBVCAD chemotherapy with optional limited radiotherapy in advanced Hodgkin's disease.
abstract: The purpose was to verify the 5-year results of the MOPPEBVCAD chemotherapy regimen with limited radiotherapy in relation to the promising preliminary data. Mechlorethamine, vincristine, procarbazine, prednisone, epidoxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine, lomustine, melphalan, and vindesine were delivered according to a schedule derived through hybridization, intensification, and shortening of the corresponding alternating CAD/MOPP/ABV regimen. Radiotherapy was restricted to sites of bulky involvement or to areas that responded incompletely to chemotherapy. This multicenter, controlled, nonrandomized trial involved 145 eligible patients. Radiotherapy was administered to 47 patients, 46 of whom were in complete remission after chemotherapy. Remissions were complete in 137 patients (94%), partial in 4 (3%), and null in the remaining 4. Tumor-specific, overall, relapse-free, and failure-free survival at 5 years were 0.89, 0.86, 0.82, and 0.78, respectively. Hematologic toxicity was considerable, whereas nonhematologic side effects were fully acceptable. Most of the unfavorable prognostic factors lost their clinical weight. Only age and lymphocyte depletion histologic type were statistically correlated with major follow-up endpoints; performance status and bone marrow involvement were subordinate to age. Seven patients developed a second cancer (including 3 myelodysplasias). MOPPEBVCAD with selected radiotherapy is a highly effective regimen in advanced Hodgkin's disease. Early and late toxicity are no more severe than what would be expected with other alternating or hybrid regimens. A comparison with ABVD, which is currently considered the standard regimen for advanced Hodgkin's disease, is needed.
authors.affiliation: Medicina Interna e Oncologia Medica, IRCCS Policlinico S. Matteo, Università di Pavia, Pavia, Italy. Gruppo Italiano per lo Studio dei Linfomi.
authors.forename: P G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Gobbi
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pieresca
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Ghirardelli
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Di Renzo
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Federico
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Merli
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Iannitto
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pitini
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Grignani
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Donelli
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Carotenuto
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Silingardi
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ascari
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006689:Hodgkin Disease / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012074:Remission Induction; D016896:Treatment Outcome