Objective: To evaluate the response to and toxicities of chemo-radiotherapy (CT-RT) in patients with early stage Hodgkin lymphoma treated in our institution.
Materials and methods: Retrospective study of 42 patients with early stage Hodgkin lymphoma treated between 2002 and 2007.
Results: The age of patients ranges from 11 to 57 with a mean of 30.7 years; the sex-ratio is 0.8 (19 males and 23 females). There are 33 cases of nodular-sclerosing Hodgkin lymphoma, 6 of mixed cellularity, one lymphocyte-rich, one interfollicular and one granulomatous. As for the stages, 31 Hodgkin lymphomas are stage IIA, 6 stage IA, 3 bulky and 2 stage IAe. The ABVD protocol was given to 38 patients, the VBVP to 3 patients and the ABV to one patient. IFRT was used with dose ranging from 19.8 to 39.6 Gy. The acute toxicity of chemotherapy was hematologic only, grade 1 anemia accounting for 11.1% and grade 2 anemia for 14.8%, grade 1 leukopenia for 51.8%, grade 2 leukopenia for 333% and grade 3 leukopenia for 14.8%. Dysphagia, radiodermitis and radiomucositis were seen after radiotherapy, accounting for 16.5%, 4.6% and 9.1% respectively. No long-term toxicity of the combined therapy was found. During the follow-up period, one relapse occurred and no death was reported.
Conclusion: The overall survival (OS), the disease free survival (DFS) and the toxicities of the combined therapy CT-RT of the patients with early stage Hodgkin lymphoma stage IA and IIA treated in our institution were similar to those seen in the literature.