New Treatment with Less Radiation Not as Effective

"A lower dose of radiation used to reduce side effects is not as effective as the regular dose when given with the standard chemotherapy in the treatment of Hodgkin's lymphoma patients with early, intermediate-stage disease, according to a first-of-its-kind randomized study presented at the plenary session, November 1, 2010, at the 52nd Annual Meeting of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO).

In addition, the trial showed that a more intensive chemotherapy (BEACOPP) is not more effective than the standard chemotherapy treatment (ABVD) for these patients.

"This confirms that four cycles of ABVD, followed by 30 Gy involved field radiation therapy, should continue to be the standard treatment for early intermediate-stage Hodgkin's lymphoma patients," Hans Theodor Eich, M.D., Ph.D. lead author of the study and a radiation oncologist at the University of Cologne, in Cologne, Germany, said. "Prior to the study, it was unclear what the optimal chemotherapy regimen and the most effective dose of radiation was."

Chemotherapy followed by radiation treatment is the standard treatment for intermediate-stage Hodgkin's lymphoma. This group of patients has the disease in one or more lymph nodes on the same side of the diaphragm (the muscle under the lungs), along with other factors associated with a higher risk of the cancer spreading to other parts of the body."

Read More: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2010-10/asfr-nmi102510.php