[A reserve chemotherapy for Hodgkin's disease (author's transl)]

In 22 patients suffering from Hodgkin's disease with visceral lesions resistant to MOPP chemotherapy, the authors have tried a reserve treatment combining adriamycin, vinblastin, bleomycin and DTIC ("ABVD therapy"). On day 1 patients were given a one-hour infusion of DTIC 200 mg with adriamycin 40 mg and vinblastin 10 mg. This was followed 3 to 6 hours later by bleomycin 15 mg i. m. On days 2, 3 and 4, DTIC 200 mg was infused alone, and a treatment similar to that of day 1 but without DTIC was repeated on day 15. There were six courses of treatment altogether. The patients were followed-up for 6 to 24 months. Complete remission without relapse was obtained in 32% of the cases.