Outcome of patients with Hodgkin's disease failing after primary MOPP-ABVD.

PURPOSE

This study analyzed long-term results in patients with Hodgkin's disease who were resistant to or relapsed after first-line treatment with MOPP and ABVD. Response to salvage treatments and prognostic factors were also evaluated.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The study population included 115 refractory or relapsed patients among a total of 415 patients treated with alternating or hybrid MOPP-ABVD followed by radiotherapy (25 to 30 Gy) to initial bulky sites. The median follow-up duration of the present series was 91 months. Thirty-nine of 115 patients (34%) showed disease progression while on primary treatment (induction failures); 48 relapsed after complete remissions that lasted < or = 12 months and 28 after complete remission that lasted more than 12 months from the end of all treatments.

RESULTS

At 8 years, the overall survival rate was 27%, being 54% and 28% in patients whose initial complete remission was longer or shorter than 12 months, respectively, and 8% in induction failures (P < .001). Response to first-line chemotherapy and disease extent at first progression significantly influenced long-term results, as well as the incidence and duration of complete remission.

CONCLUSION

The present data confirm previous observations that showed the main prognostic factors to influence outcome after salvage treatment are response duration to first-line therapy and disease extent at relapse. The results indicate that patients who relapse after the alternating MOPP/ABVD regimen have a prognosis similar to that of patients who relapse after a four-drug regimen (MOPP or ABVD alone). Re-treatment with initial chemotherapy seems the treatment of choice for patients who relapse after an initial complete remission that lasts greater than 12 months, while the real impact of high-dose chemotherapy or new regimens should be assessed in resistant patients.