Clinical Profile and Chemotherapy Response in Children with Hodgkin Lymphoma at a Tertiary Care Centre.

INTRODUCTION: Optimal treatment strategy in children with advance stage Hodgkin Lymphoma (HL) still remains controversial.

AIM: To evaluate the clinical profile and the efficacy of chemotherapy (CT) as a treatment modality in paediatric HL.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: Retrospective case record evaluation of paediatric HL cases over 5 years (October 2005 to October 2010) period.

RESULTS: Thirty five cases (31 boys) with a median age of eight years were studied. 24 cases were <10-year-old, and 23 had late stage disease (stage III to IV). B-symptoms were present in 60%, bulky mediastinal disease in 25.7%, and spleen involvement in 60% cases. None had bone marrow involvement. Most common histological type was nodular sclerosis (28.6%). Most cases received ABVD/COPP or ABVD regimen. Two cases needed BEACOPP due to progressive disease, and 4 needed low-dose involved field radiotherapy (RT). At a mean (SD) extended event-free follow-up of 42.7(±17.1) months, four cases relapsed (one was lost to follow-up, and three were treated with chemotherapy and low-dose involved field RT). None died due to the disease.

CONCLUSION: Present study found systemic CT alone to be an effective therapy in childhood Hodgkin lymphoma. However, a small sample in present study limits the generalisability of these findings. The findings needs to be replicated in larger population, preferably randomized clinical trials, before any firm conclusion can be made.