Combination therapy for advanced resistant Hodgkin's disease.

Thirty-nine patients with advanced Hodgkin's disease (H.D.) resistant to standard combinations of cytotoxic drugs were treated with C.C.N.U., vinblastine and bleomycin (C.V.B.). Ten patients (25%) achieved complete remission (C.R.) and seven of these are still in C.R. at the time of this report. A further 23 patients (59%) achieved partial remissions. The overall response-rate was thus 85%. C.C.N.U. caused less nausea and vomiting than that usually associated with nitrogen mustard. C.C.N.U. and vinblastine caused myelosuppression, but C.V.B. could be administered every 4 weeks to 21 (54%) of the 39 patients. A combination of cytotoxic drugs such as C.V.B. may be preferable to single agents in the treatment of patients with advanced resistant H.D.