[The current state of curability of Hodgkin's disease]

The introduction of the chemotherapy regimen MOPP in 1964 led to a breakthrough in the treatment of disseminated Hodgkin's disease. 80% of previously untreated patients achieve complete remission which in the majority of cases is durable. However, in view of prolonged survival in an increasing number of patients, more secondary malignancies (acute myelogenous leukemia and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma) are observed. The problem of how to treat patients who fail to respond to MOPP is still unsolved. Alternating use of two chemotherapy regimens and additional radiotherapy may further diminish the incidence of relapses in patients who have achieved complete remission. Stage II Hodgkin's disease probably should be divided into two substages requiring different treatment.