Prognostic factors for patients relapsing after radiotherapy for early-stage Hodgkin's disease

Prognostic factors were analyzed retrospectively in 109 patients who relapsed after treatment with radiation only for Hodgkin's disease. Factors analyzed included initial stage, age, time to first relapse, histology, sex, extent of initial irradiation, sites of relapse, relapse stage (RS), average relative dose intensity (ARDI) of chemotherapy, and type of salvage therapy. Ninety-three percent of the patients received either standard or modified mechlorethamine, vincristine, procarbazine, and prednisone (MOPP). With a median follow-up of 8.3 years, the actuarial survival and freedom from second relapse (FF2ndR) was 57% at 10 years. The extent of disease at the time of relapse, or so-called RS was found to be the single most important prognostic factor. Nearly 90% of patients with RS IA or IEA (favorable group) were disease free, and nearly 60% of patients with RS IIA, IIEA, or IIIA (intermediate group) were disease free compared with only 34% of patients with B symptoms or stage IV disease (unfavorable group). In a subset analysis, the use of combined modality therapy (CMT) was associated with an improved FF2ndR and survival in patients from the intermediate and unfavorable relapse groups. Age greater than 50 years was associated with an increased risk of second relapse and a lower survival. The other factors analyzed appeared to be of no independent prognostic value.