Hodgkin's Disease: Treatment and Prognosis.

The prognosis of Hodgkin's disease (HD) has improved impressively in the past decade. Presently, no stage of disease is beyond cure or expectancy of a long disease-free survival. The extent of disease involvement governs the choice of therapy. The treatment of choice for localized disease is irradiation, although the techniques used vary considerably among different centres. Combination chemotherapy is recommended for stages 3B and 4. The management of stage 3A and some high-risk subsets of HD remains controversial. In specific situations, combined treatments are indicated. Therapy associated complications, immediate or delayed, deserve greater attention. Ironically, their impact upon the improved survivors might be morbid and devastating.