[Hodgkin's disease].

At Kanazawa University 28 patients with Hodgkin's disease were treated between 1975 and 1988. Ten patients underwent staging laparotomy by which we had to change the pathological stage in 3 patients because occult splenic lesions were detected histologically. Patients with early disease were treated mainly with radiotherapy (RT) and those with advanced disease received modified MOPP chemotherapy with or without RT. Twenty-six patients entered complete remission, and relapse occurred in 7 including 5 patients with stage III disease. Four patients died of the disease and 4 of other causes. The actuarial survival at 5 and 10 years were 80.1% and 47.1% respectively. The actuarial relapse free rate at 10 years was 65.8%. Fourteen patients are in good health after completion of treatment, and 9 healthy babies were born to 5 patients including 3 female patients. The goal of therapy in Hodgkin's disease is cure. Treatment strategy must be based on proper staging and consideration of iatrogenic morbidity such as sterility and second malignancy.