Complications after megavoltage therapy of Hodgkin's disease

56 patients with Hodgkin's disease treated with large field megavolt irradiation are presented. Complications in the parenchymal organs were few, although patients developed an appreciable grade of pulmonary radiofibrosis, two patients had a myocardial infarction and one patient thrombosis of the portal veins. Depression of the bone marrow frequently interfered with the radiation treatment. In five cases radiotherapy had to be discontinued. In three cases bone marrow depression persisted to the time of death. The total mode treatment was often to be discontinued and the treatment with cytostatics was started. The extended and total node treatment for Hodgkin's disease must be planned to spare as much of the bone marrow as possible.