Isolated neutropenia during ABVD chemotherapy for Hodgkin lymphoma does not require growth factor support

We reviewed the outcome of 24 patients with early and advanced stage Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) treated with ABVD chemotherapy (263 treatment deliveries) without the use of G-CSF over a 3-year period. Patients received full dose ABVD regardless of the absolute neutrophil count (ANC) on the day of treatment if there were no other cytopenias or toxicities. Forty-eight percent of treatment deliveries were given with an ANC <1.0 x 10(9)/L and 18% with an ANC <0.5 x 10(9)/L. Four patients required drug omissions (vinblastine or bleomycin) due to non-hematological side-effects. The rate of neutropenic sepsis was 0.76%. At a median follow up of 17.5 months, one patient had progressive disease requiring intensive treatment and the remainder were in remission post-treatment. Overall survival and event-free survival were 95.8% and 91.7%, respectively. We estimate a saving of 60,000 pounds in pharmaceutical and nursing expenditure related to G-CSF; a saving of 2000 pounds per patient. We conclude that full dose ABVD can be administered to patients with early and advanced stage HL irrespective of isolated neutropenia on the planned treatment day without prophylactic G-CSF or antibiotics and that this practise is safe, efficacious and cost-saving.