A potentially practice-changing paper has been published in one of the world's most respected peer-reviewed medical journals regarding the treatment of early-stage favorable Hodgkin's lymphoma by the German Hodgkin's Study Group.
The paper describes GH10, a study of over 1300 patients with early-stage (I-II) favorable (no B symptoms) Hodgkin's lymphoma.
In brief, the data shows that there was no statistical difference in terms of overall survival after 5 years whether the patient received standard therapy (4 x ABVD and 30Gy IFRT) or a significantly less toxic therapy (2 x ABVD and 20Gy IFRT).
Since secondary cancers are not uncommon for Hodgkin's patients anywhere from 5-25 years down the road due to exposure to chemo and radiation, this study suggests that many patients are being overtreated at the current guidelines and that the lower chemo and radiation levels should be considered.
In fact, the GHSG concluded that 2 x ABVD and 20Gy IFRT would be the new standard of care for HL patients with early stage favorable disease.
CANCER TYPE(S)
Early-stage favorable Hodgkin's lymphoma
TREATMENT TYPE(S)
Combination chemotherapy and radiation
WHERE WAS THIS RESEARCH PUBLISHED?
The New England Journal of Medicine.
By Ross Bonander
Sources
- Abstract of study presented at the 2009 ASH meeting.
- Abstract of study in the most recent issue of the NEJM
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