[Prognostic factors and treatment of advanced Hodgkin's disease]

Treatment strategy is based on prognosis groups although there is no consensus on their definition. In stages IIIA with unfavorable factors and stages IIIB or IV without high risk factors, chemotherapy alone or followed by irradiation is used. To reduce toxicity, radiation therapy on bulky disease and residual masses is preferred to extended fields. Indications for intensive chemotherapy with autograft of hematopoietic stem cells as initial treatment for high-risk patients must be determined with therapeutic trials.