[20-year experience with modified dose fractionation of radiotherapy in primary Hodgkin's disease].

Significantly lower frequency of relapse, incidence of pulmonitis and pericarditis, leukopenia and thrombocytopenia stage IV and longer recurrence-free survival were reported after acceleration of multifractionation of STD of 1.35Gy was used for treatment of patients with primary Hodgkin's disease, as compared with standard fractionation. When STD was reduced to 1.2Gy (modified multifractionation), subtotal exposure of lymph nodes was followed by a significant drop in frequency and severity of leukopenia and thrombocytopenia stage III-IV. The latter complications, rates decreased further, with perspective response to therapy, as irradiation was limited to that of areas exposed during modified multifractionation.