Variation of SCE frequency in lymphocyte cultures from patients with Hodgkin's disease before, during, and after treatment.

Seven patients with newly-diagnosed Hodgkin's disease, having standard mustine-vinblastine-prednisolone-procarbazine therapy, had a large and regular pattern of rise in SCE frequency in their peripheral lymphocytes, which apparently started to fall before the end of the course (32 wk). In contrast, SCE frequency fell below normal in the lymphocytes of nine patients having mantle radiotherapy. Twenty-eight patients studied 2-13 yr after initial chemotherapy or radiotherapy for Hodgkin's disease had normal or near normal SCE frequencies.