[Treatment of local Hodgkin's disease with massive mediastinal involvement].

Aim: To define the scope of combined therapy in patients having local Hodgkin's disease (LHD) with massive mediastinal lesion.

Material And Methods: From 1980 to 1997 the treatment was given to 75 LHD patients with massive lesion of the mediastinum (mediastinal-thoracic index, MTI, > or = 0.33). The patients have received combined chemoradiotherapy according to 3 cycle CVPP (cyclophosphamide 600 mg/m2, vinblastine 6 mg/m2, prokarbasin 100 mg/m2, prednisolone 40 mg/m2) with a 2-week interval + radiation to all the lymphatic collectors above the diaphragm with a single focal dose 2 Gy to total focal dose 36-38 Gy + 3 cycle CVPP. According to the size of the mediastinum the patients were divided into 3 groups: group 1--MTI = 0.33, 27 patients; group 2--MTI = 0.33 > 0.45, 32 patients; group 3--MTI > or = 0.45, 16 patients. The response was estimated according to the latest EORTC recommendations. Survival curves were plotted according to the E.L. Kaplan and P. Meier procedure.

Results: Complete remission was achieved in 93, 94 and 56% of group 1, 2 and 3 patients, respectively. 6-year recurrence-free survival reached 84, 71 and 32%, while survival free of treatment failure 80, 66 and 27%, respectively. 6-year overall survival and uneventful survival made up 94, 97 and 70%; 72, 66 and 27%, respectively.

Conclusion: Treatment of LHD patients of group 1 is performed according to the standard scheme (6 cycles of first-line polychemotherapy plus radiotherapy). Patients of group 2 can be treated more intensively, while for patients of group 3 more intensive treatment is a treatment of choice.