Treatment of stage I and II Hodgkin's lymphoma with ABVD chemotherapy: results after 7 years of a prospective study.
BACKGROUND
Chemotherapy with ABVD (doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine and darcarbacine) schedule is the standard treatment for advanced Hodgkin's lymphoma. Certain facts, including a low toxicity compared with MOPP/ABV (mechlorethamine, vincristine, procarbazine, prednisone, doxorubicin, bleomycin and vinblastine) and minimal potential for inducing second neoplasias or patient sterility, support the use of ABVD to treat early disease stages. In the present study, we prospectively evaluated the long-term efficacy and toxicity of six cycles of ABVD as treatment for early-stage Hodgkin's lymphoma.


METHODS
From January 1990 to June 2002, 95 patients with stage I and II Hodgkin's lymphoma were treated with six ABVD cycles. Fifteen patients who met the criteria for mediastinal bulky disease also received further radiotherapy on the mediastinum.


RESULTS
After six cycles, 89 patients (94%) showed a complete response (CR) and six patients (6%) showed a partial response (PR). These PRs became CRs after radiotherapy. After a median follow-up of 78 months, 14 patients had relapsed and three had died. Overall survival and progression-free survival rates at 7 years were 96% and 84%, respectively. For patients with stage IA and IIA without mediastinal bulky disease, the survival rates were 97% and 88%, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
The administration of six ABVD cycles is an effective and safe treatment in patients with stage I and II Hodgkin's lymphoma.
Rueda Domínguez
A
A
Servicio de Oncología, Hospital Clínico Universitario, Málaga, Spain. ruedom@yahoo.com
Márquez
A
A
Gumá
J
J
Llanos
M
M
Herrero
J
J
de Las Nieves
M A
MA
Miramón
J
J
Alba
E
E
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001761:Bleomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003606:Dacarbazine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D018450:Disease Progression; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006689:Hodgkin Disease / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014747:Vinblastine / Q000008:administration & dosage
D001761:Bleomycin; D014747:Vinblastine; D003606:Dacarbazine; D004317:Doxorubicin