Combined chemotherapy-radiotherapy in advanced Hodgkin's disease: results of a prospective clinical trial with 70 stage IIIB-IV patients.

PURPOSE

To evaluate two regimens of chemotherapy followed by high dose total or subtotal nodal irradiation in advanced Stages of Hodgkin's disease.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

From October 1980 to September 1985, 70 patients with Hodgkin's disease, with clinical Stages IIIB (35 cases) and IV (35 cases) were treated with combined modality therapy. Patients were randomly assigned to receive four cycles of chemotherapy, mechlorethamine, vincristine, procarbazine and prednisone (MOPP) versus the same regimen alternating with adriamycin, bleomycin, vinblastine and dacarbazine, ABVD-derived regimen, followed by high-dose (40 Gy) total or subtotal nodal irradiation. Because of partial response, 13 patients (18.5%) got additional chemotherapy (1-4 cycles).

RESULTS

After chemotherapy, 49 patients (70%) achieved complete remission or good partial response and 15 patients (21.5%) partial response. Five primary failures (7%) and one death (1.5%) occurred. After combined modality therapy, 59 patients (84%) achieved complete remission, one patient partial response (1.5%) and eight patients (11.5%) failed to primary treatment. Two toxic deaths (3%) were observed during initial treatment. There was no significant difference in response rates between MOPP/radiotherapy and MOPP/ABVD/radiotherapy. Nine patients relapsed (15%). A total of 21 patients died, 13 because of Hodgkin's disease and eight from other causes. High dose total or subtotal nodal irradiation following four courses of chemotherapy was feasible, although hematological toxicity grade > or = 2 (World Health Organization) was observed in one-third of the patients, particularly in patients aged over 40. The median duration of follow-up was 75 months. Actuarial survival curves indicate a 8 years disease-free survival and survival of 70% and 65% respectively, without any significant difference between the two regimens. Because of hematological toxicity, the percentage of planned full treatment was lower in MOPP/radiotherapy regimen.

CONCLUSION

These results lead to recommend the alternating regimen. Patients restaged as poor responders after initial chemotherapy did not survive for long. More intensive treatment is now proposed for this subgroup of patients.