Management of Hodgkin's disease in children and adolescents.

Between 1970 and 1980, 66 children or adolescents with Hodgkin's disease were treated at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Since 1977, prepubertal patients and postpubertal patients with Stage IIA massive mediastinal disease or Stage IIB-IVB disease were clinically staged and treated with six courses of chemotherapy and 2000 rad involved-field irradiation. Postpubertal patients with Stage IA or IIA disease were staged pathologically and treated with 3600-4400 rad extended-field irradiation. At four years, actuarial survival in 27 patients with Stage IA or IIA disease is 100%; relapse-free survival is 86% in 16 patients treated with combined modality and 70% in 11 patients treated with irradiation. Among 39 patients with Stage IIB-IVB disease, 34 received combined modality; at five years, survival is 86% and relapse-free survival is 60%. In the majority of cases relapses in patients treated with combined modality could be better explained by chemotherapy failure rather than by insufficient radiation. Clinical staging and combined modality therapy may offer advantages for prepubertal patients and those postpubertal patients at high risk of relapse when treated with irradiation alone. The complications of laparotomy and splenectomy are avoided; however, with 2000 rad and limited-field irradiation, hypothyroidism does occur and growth disturbances may appear.