Results of Clinical Study of Patients Suffering from Hodgkin’s Lymphomaafter 25 Years

Overview

Background.
On the 25th anniversary of the unified protocol of 1978, the authors report the results of the firstclinical study in the Czech Republic performed in patients with Hodgkin‘s lymphoma. 290 patients were treatedwith both chemotherapy (Cyklophosphamide, Natulan, Prednison, Vinblastin) and radiotherapy according to thiswidely used protocol. The dosage of cytotoxic therapy was reduced based on age, in patients over 50 years of age.Methods and Results. In the year 2003, the survival rate was 77.3 % (194/290 patients) and of these, 85 % (165/194patients) have lived more than 10 years with complete remission. Of the 194 surviving patients, 24 were successfullytreated for relapses. Of the 66 (22.8%) patients that died, the cause of death in 33 patients was Hodgkin‘s lymphoma.33 women of the studied group gave birth to 43 children. In one case, phocomelia was diagnosed post-partum. Inthis instance, no causal relationship to the cytotoxic treatment (which had been given three years before the birth)could be established. The second child of the same mother was born healthy. In one case, a possible geneticrelationship was noted – both the father and the daughter suffered from Hodgkin lymphoma and the granddaughterfrom non-Hodgkin lymphoma.Conclusions. The success of this treatment depends on complex diagnostic procedures, and on an experienced teamof physicians.

Key words:
Morbus Hodgkin, therapy, survival rate, children of treated women.