Early-stage Hodgkin's disease.

Treatment of Hodgkin's disease (HD) is strictly dependent on stage. Historically, early-stage HD included the limited stages I, II, and IIIA (according to the Cotswolds modification of the Ann Arbor classsification), whereas advanced HD included stage III with B symptoms and stage IV. It was then observed that early-stage HD with certain clinical risk factors had a significantly worse outcome. As a consequence, several studies defined these patients as suffering from early-stage unfavorable (or intermediate-stage) HD, demanding a more aggressive treatment. The treatment of early-stage HD is changing strikingly. Until recently, extended-field (EF) irradiation has been considered the standard treatment. However, because of the recognition of its high relapse rate and fatal long-term effects, EF radiotherapy is now being abandoned by most study groups. Instead, for favorable early-stage HD, mild chemotherapy for control of occult disease is combined with involved-field (IF) irradiation. In early-stage unfavorable (intermediate) HD, four cycles of chemotherapy plus IF irradiation is accepted as standard treatment.