Salvage chemotherapy with ABVD in MOPP-resistant Hodgkin's disease

Fifty-five consecutive patients with advanced recurrent Hodgkin's disease resistant to MOPP chemotherapy (mechlorethamine, vincristine, procarbazine, and prednisone) were given ABVD chemotherapy (doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine). In 54 patients evaluable for response, complete remission after pathologic restaging was seen in 59% and partial remission in 13%. Fifteen of 29 patients (52%) showing disease progression during primary MOPP treatment achieved complete remission after ABVD. The median time to complete response was 3 months. The median duration for complete remission was 17 months, and 38% of patients who attained complete remission have remained alive and continuously disease free at 5 years from start of ABVD treatment. The median survival of complete responders was more than 60 months. Toxic manifestations were moderate, aside from pronounced vomiting in more than half of patients. These results indicate that ABVD is an effective salvage regimen for MOPP-resistant Hodgkin's disease.