Results of Therapy in Hodgkin’s Disease: Freiburg i. Br. 1964–1971

Summary

A series of comparative investigative studies has shown that radiotherapy between the years 1964–1971 developed from local radiation to radiation of extended fields and finally to total nodal radiation including the spleen or spleen extirpation. Thus the total results of this treatment period are the results of a continual development of the treatment methods prevalent at that time.

The 5-year survival rates of this period amount to 70% in the total collective, to 100% in stage I of the Ann Arbor Clinical Staging Classification, 81% in stage II, 63% in stage III, 79% in stages I-III A and to 60% in stages I-III B. The prognosis is dependent on:

• 1. the therapy

• 2. the clinical stage of the Ann Arbor Classification including the B-Symptomatic

• 3. the histological Rye Classification and

• 4. the age of the patient collective.

The better prognosis of the collective with first full remission following the first radiation treatment in contrast to the collective with partial remission, and of the latter in contrast to the collective without remission, applies not only to the length of the first remission but also to the prognosis of the first recidive: recidives following full remission have a better prognosis after the second radiation treatment than do manifest recidives following partial remission.

If a full remission is again obtained by means of a renewed radiation treatment of the first recidive, then this full remission has a favorable prognosis comparable to the first full remission.