Radiotherapy in Early-Stage Favourable Hodgkin`s Lymphom: Experiences of the German Hodgkin Study Group

摘要

Since its beginning, more than 15.000 patients with Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) have been enrolled into the multicentre randomized trials of the German Hodgkin Study Group (GHSG). Within 4 study generations the treatment of HL has been developed stepwise by using the results of the completed protocols. According to radiotherapy, the study group successfully evaluated different dose-effect relationships and could also prove the efficacy of involved field radiotherapy in early stages in combination with effective chemotherapy. According to the recent final analysis of the HD10 trial for patients with early-favourable HL, a radiation dose of 20 Gy to the involved lymph node areas preceded by short-term chemotherapy (ABVD x 2) is the standard for these patients. An extensive radiotherapy quality assurance program, performed by the GHSG radiotherapy reference centre in Cologne, has proven to be successful and necessary to ensure that with reduced radiation doses and volumes a precise treatment, as defined by the protocol, can be performed by the participating radiotherapy departments.