Background: Hodgkin lymphoma is a highly curable disease.
Aim: To evaluate the clinical characteristics and the treatment results of Hodgkin lymphoma patients of the National Cancer Program in Chile.
Patients and methods: Prospective assessment of 682 patients treated in 18 adult cancer centers. Progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were calculated. Median follow up was 127, 95, 87, 72 and 50 months for C-MOPP, radiotherapy (RT), C-MOPP/ABV, NOVP and ABVD, respectively.
Results: Median age was 37 years (15-84). Nodular sclerosis and mixed cellularity were equally expressed. Advanced stages (III & IV) were present at diagnosis in 61% of cases. Age over 40 was an adverse prognostic factor (p<0.001). The rate of PFS at 5 and 10 years for early stages was 73% and 66% with RT, 80% and 74% with C-MOPP+RT, 73% and 71% with C-MOPP/ABV, 59% and 59% with NOVP+RT, and 81% with ABVD+RT, at 5 years, being significantly lower for NOVP (p=0.02). The rate of OS at 5 and 10 years for advanced stages was 82% and 70% with RT, 82% and 76% with C-MOPP+RT, 82% and 80% with C-MOPP/ABV, 68% and 60% with NOVP, and 85% with ABVD at 5 years, also significantly lower for NOVP (p=0.04). For advanced stages, the rate of PFS at 5 and 10 years was 49% and 43% with C-MOPP, 69% and 62% with C-MOPP/ABVD or C-MOPP/ABV, and 71% at 5 years with ABVD, significantly lower for C-MOPP (p=0.01). The rate of OS at 5 and 10 years was 52% and 46% with C-MOPP, 70% and 63% with C-MOPP/ABVD or C-MOPP/ABV and 76% with ABVD at 5 years, significantly lower for C-MOPP (p=0.0002).
Conclusions: Age over 40 years was an adverse prognostic factor. C-MOPP/ABVD, C-MOPP/ABV and ABVD had comparable results and reached a high tumor control and overall survival in both early and advanced stages.