Classic Hodgkin lymphoma can usually be treated successfully in younger patients using ABVD (Adriamycin, bleomycin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine). However, older patients with the disease have a relatively poor prognosis, and ABVD’s efficacy and tolerability in this population are uncertain. This retrospective study, published in Internal Medicine, analyzed the outcomes of older patients with classic Hodgkin lymphoma treated with ABVD.
A total of 25 patients were included in the study, of which 14 were 60 or under and 11 were over 60. The ABVD doses were reduced for the over 60 age group (older group). The median average relative dose intensity used for this group was 0.58. The older group exhibited a 5-year overall survival rate of 100% for those with early-stage disease and approximately 67% for those with advanced-stage disease.
No patients died of classic Hodgkin lymphoma during the duration of the study, although one treatment-related death was observed in the older group.
The researchers concluded that ABVD with dose attenuation for older patients could be an effective way to treat this cohort of patients with classic Hodgkin lymphoma. However, the optimal degree of dose reduction is not yet clear, and the results are better for patients with early-stage disease [1].
Source:
[1] Makiyama, J., Imaizumi, Y., Watanabe, H., Fujioka, M., Chiwata, M., Kitanosono, H., Nakashima, J., Miyazaki, Y., & Yoshida, S. (2021). Outcomes in patients with classic Hodgkin lymphoma treated with ABVD: a single-center retrospective study. Internal Medicine, 60(5), 709–718. https://doi.org/10.2169/internalmedicine.5004-20
