Objective: To explore the effect of adriamycin, bleomycin, vincristine and dacarbazinum (ABVD) chemotherapy scheme executed at day 1 and day 8 for primary Hodgkin's lymphomas (HL).
Methods: 62 patients with primary HL in stages II - IV treated in our department from October 2005 to October 2006 were divided into group A and B at random with 31 patients in each group. The patients in group A received ABVD chemotherapy scheme executed at day 1 and day 8 for 6 - 8 cycles. The patients in group B received ABVD chemotherapy scheme executed at day 1 and day 15 for 6 - 8 cycles. The patients of the groups received radiotherapy by the same doctor after chemotherapy according to the patients condition and the radiotherapy regimens were not affected by the grouping.
Results: The complete remission rate (CR) in group A after chemotherapy was 90.3% (28/31); the one-year and two-year disease free survival (DFS) rates were 87.1% (27/31) and 80.0% (20/25) respectively. The CR rate in group B after chemotherapy was 83.9% (26/31); the one-year and two-year DFS rates were 80.6% (25/31) and 72.0% (18/25) respectively. The discrepancy of CR rates and the one-year and two-year DFS rates between the two groups was not significant (P > 0.05). The incidences of therapeutic side effects such as myocardial ischemia grade III - IV liver function impairment, pulmonary fibrosis and serious marrow inhibition between the two groups were not significant too (P > 0.05). Average chemotherapy period for the patients in group A was 159 days; it was 69 days shorter than that in group B.
Conclusion: The CR rate, 1-year DFS rate and 2-year DFS rate of ABVD chemotherapy scheme executed at day 1 and 8 are similar to those of ABVD chemotherapy scheme executed at day 1 and 15 for primary HL in stages II - IV. The side-effects of chemotherapy between group A and B are similar too. The chemotherapy period in group A is shortened significantly.