Wide-field radiation therapy alone or with chemotherapy for Hodgkin's disease in relapse from combination chemotherapy.

Nineteen patients with Hodgkin's disease who relapsed primarily in nodal sites after intensive combination chemotherapy were retreated with wide-field radiation therapy alone or with additional chemotherapy between January 1971 and December 1984. Six patients presented in second relapse and 13 patients in first relapse. Seven patients were treated with combination chemotherapy and radiation therapy and twelve patients were treated with radiation therapy alone. Radiation therapy field sizes and doses were similar to those recommended for early-stage Hodgkin's disease patients treated with radiation therapy alone. The 5-year actuarial freedom from relapse (FFR) and survival following retreatment were 48% and 69%, respectively. Twelve patients are currently disease-free 12 to 172 months following retreatment. Wide-field radiation therapy alone or with additional chemotherapy should be considered for patients with advanced Hodgkin's disease who relapse in nodal sites after initial combination chemotherapy.