[Recurrences of lymphogranulomatosis after radical radiotherapy and their treatment]

Radical radiation therapy provided complete remissions in 152 out of 166 patients with Hodgkin's disease, stages I-II-IIIs. During 3 to 17 years of observation, the relapses occurred in 67 patients (44%). A half of all the relapses were recorded during the first year of remission. In 88% of the cases the relapses were seen over the diaphragm, in 61% at the sites exposed to radiation and in 60% of the cases they were local. The rate of the relapses did not correlate with the stage, histological type, site of the lesion or with the radiation dose. Repeated complete remissions were attained in 48 patients (72%). The best effect was reached after cyclic polychemotherapy in combination with local radiation. In nodular sclerosis, the repeated remissions appeared far more lasting as compared to those in patients with the mixed-cell version.