Current treatment of Hodgkin’s disease

• Published in: Critical reviews in oncology/hematology 2000-07, Vol.35 (1), p.49-73
• Main Authors: Eghbali, Houchingue, Soubeyran, Pierre, Tchen, Nadine, de Mascarel, Isabelle, Soubeyran, Isabelle, Richaud, Pierre
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols - therapeutic use; Bone Marrow Transplantation; Female; Hodgkin Disease - therapy; Humans; Male; Pregnancy; Radiotherapy
• ISSN: 1040-8428; 1879-0461
• DOI: 10.1016/S1040-8428(99)00070-0

In spite of the fact that Hodgkin’s disease (HD) remains still an enigma its management and treatment yield a cure rate of about 80% of all patients. However, this management has two limits: on one side favourable cases which should not be overtreated because of unacceptable side-effects, and on the other side very unfavourable cases which should be treated differently because of a very high rate of failure and/or relapse. Then it becomes necessary to precise as thoroughly as possible these two limits in order to choose the adequate treatment for the patient. Prognostic factors based on patient and disease characteristics allow a relatively exact classification of favourable and unfavourable cases. This distinction in two prognostic groups has therapeutic implications in terms of chemotherapy (regimen, duration) and radiotherapy (extension, doses). Other specific situations have to be considered, e.g. pediatric cases, pregnancy, old age and HIV-infected patients who need an adapted management according to very different situations.