Cytogenetic studies in patients previously treated for Hodgkin's disease.

A cytogenetic study was made of bone marrow cells and lymphocytes from patients who had been successfully treated with various regimens for Hodgkin's disease. Most of the patients had been off treatment for at least 3 years before the study began. They were divided into three groups according to the intensity of the therapy received. The frequency of gaps and breaks in the chromosomes of lymphocytes was above normal limits and similar in the three treatment groups. In contrast, the frequency of both lymphocytes and bone marrow cells with rearranged karyotypes was correlated with the intensity of treatment. Clones of cells with an abnormal karyotype were found in only two patients, both of whom were in the group receiving the most intensive therapy, i.e., chemotherapy and total nodal irradiation.