Hodgkin's disease treated by chemotherapy and large field irradiation. Hematologic effects.

The hematologic effects of combined chemotherapy and irradiation were analyzed in 70 patients with Hodgkin's disease stage I and II. The schedule used was as follows: one cycle of 15--21 days of chemotherapy immediately followed by irradiation, including mantle and lumboaortic fields. After a rest of one month, another cycle of the same chemotherapy was applied. The erythrocytes varied slightly; the leukocytes decreased during chemotherapy and were stable or increased slightly during irradiation. Platelets decreased slightly during chemotherapy and more markedly during irradiation. No major side effects were observed, and the regimen appeared well tolerated.