title: Low-dose consolidation radiation therapy for early stage unfavorable Hodgkin lymphoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The German Hodgkin Study Group (GHSG) trial HD11 established 4 cycles of doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine (ABVD) and 30 Gy of radiation therapy (RT) as a standard for early stage (I, II), unfavorable Hodgkin lymphoma (HL). Additional cycles of ABVD may allow for a reduction in RT dose and improved toxicity profile.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients treated with combined modality therapy at the Duke Cancer Institute for early stage, unfavorable HL by GHSG criteria from 1994 to 2012 were included. Patients who did not undergo post-chemotherapy functional imaging (positron emission tomography or gallium imaging) or who failed to achieve a complete response were excluded. Clinical outcomes were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Late effects were also evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 90 patients met inclusion criteria for analysis. Median follow-up was 5 years. Chemotherapy consisted primarily of ABVD (88%) with a median number of 6 cycles. The median dose of consolidation RT was 23.4 Gy. Four patients had relapses, 2 of which were in-field. Ten-year progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were 93% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.82-0.97) and 98% (95% CI: 0.92-0.99), respectively. For the subset of patients (n=46) who received 5 to 6 cycles of chemotherapy and ≤ 24 Gy, the 10-year PFS and OS values were 88% (95% CI: 70%-96%) and 98% (95% CI: 85% - 99%), respectively. The most common late effect was hypothyroidism (20%) with no cardiac complications. Seven secondary malignancies were diagnosed, with only 1 arising within the RT field.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Lower doses of RT may be sufficient when combined with more than 4 cycles of ABVD for early stage, unfavorable HL and may result in a more favorable toxicity profile than 4 cycles of ABVD and 30 Gy of RT.
authors: Department of Radiation Oncology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina. Electronic address: jordan.torok@dm.duke.edu.
authors: Jordan A
authors: JA
authors: Torok
authors: Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina.
authors: Yuan
authors: Y
authors: Wu
authors: Department of Radiation Oncology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina.
authors: Leonard R
authors: LR
authors: Prosnitz
authors: Department of Radiation Oncology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina.
authors: Grace J
authors: GJ
authors: Kim
authors: Division of Hematologic Malignancy and Cellular Therapy, Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina.
authors: Anne W
authors: AW
authors: Beaven
authors: Division of Hematologic Malignancy and Cellular Therapy, Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina.
authors: Louis F
authors: LF
authors: Diehl
authors: Department of Radiation Oncology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina.
authors: Chris R
authors: CR
authors: Kelsey
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001761:Bleomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy / Q000379:methods; D003606:Dacarbazine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006689:Hodgkin Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D006801:Humans; D007037:Hypothyroidism / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D016609:Neoplasms, Second Primary / Q000209:etiology; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014747:Vinblastine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D001761:Bleomycin; D014747:Vinblastine; D003606:Dacarbazine; D004317:Doxorubicin