[3-year results of the combined treatment of stage I and II lymphogranulomatosis patients].

The authors present the results of the combined treatment (radiotherapy combined with 6 cycles of polychemotherapy using either the COPP or CVPP scheme) of 120 patients according to 4 programs differing in the volume of irradiation and intervals, between the cycles of polychemotherapy. The results of the study were compared to those of radiotherapy (irradiation of unilateral diaphragmatic and splenic lymph nodes) of 277 patients with Hodgkin's disease, Stages I--II. The combined treatment was shown to yield in better rates of a recurrence-free course of the disease and in slightly increased 3-year survival rates. It was shown that with identical drug therapy (6 cycles of polychemotherapy) the results of treatment in the groups of patients with different volumes of irradiation (irradiation of the clinically detectable foci of lesion only or of all the lymph nodes over the diaphragm and spleen) are rather similar. The results obtained indicate the advantages of the combined method of treatment of patients with Hodgkin's disease, Stages I--II. A reduced volume of irradiation seems possible in some cases.