Extended versus involved fields irradiation combined with MOPP chemotherapy in early clinical stages of Hodgkin's disease.

From 1976 to 1981, 335 patients with untreated Hodgkin's disease, clinical stages I, II, and IIIA, have been treated by MOPP (nitrogen mustard, vincristine, procarbazine, prednisone) chemotherapy, three to six cycles according to the prognostic factors, combined with radiotherapy. Irradiation was always performed after the first three cycles of chemotherapy, and was randomized between extensive radiotherapy, ie, mantle and paraaortic areas for supradiaphragmatic presentations, and radiotherapy restricted to the involved areas. No significant difference was observed between the two randomized branches for the disease-free survival (86% after six years in the involved field branch v 90% in the extended field branch), and none for the overall survival. Most of the relapses occurred in nonirradiated areas in the first group, and in irradiated areas in the second. Relapses were especially frequent in the IIE stages with pulmonary extension; extranodal relapses occurred with osseous and cutaneous localizations. Two cases of secondary leukemia were observed after three- or six-cycle MOPP plus radiotherapy limited to the involved areas.

Combination of ABVD and radiotherapy in early stages of Hodgkin's disease: analysis of a series of 94 patients. Pierre and Marie Curie Group (GPMC).

In order to reduce, if not completely suppress, late complications of combined chemotherapy and radiotherapy in Hodgkin's disease (HD), MOPP regimen (mechlorethamine, vincristine, procarbazine and prednisone) was replaced by ABVD (doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine and dacarbazine). Ninety-four patients with HD clinical stages I to IIIA with no staging laparotomy were treated by three courses of ABVD followed by radiotherapy. Irradiation was performed on extended fields in 41 cases and on involved fields in 53 others. Consolidation chemotherapy was planned in 67 cases with at least one unfavorable prognostic factor, but achieved only in 33 cases. Seventeen patients relapsed within 1 to 46 months after the beginning of treatment. Ten patients died, 7 of HD and 3 of intercurrent diseases or accident. Disease-free survival rate with a median follow-up of 60 months is 80%. This study showed, on the one hand, many digestive and general side-effects after ABVD and, on the other, a satisfactory hematological tolerance. Furthermore, mediastinitis or cardiovascular complications were not more frequent than with MOPP. These results point out the development and use of better tolerated regimens for initial chemotherapy in HD, without jeopardizing the good results of the treatment.

Novel combination of epirubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine and prednisone (EBVP II) before radical radiotherapy in localized stages (I-IIIA) of Hodgkin's disease. Early results in 100 consecutive patients. Pierre-et-Marie-Curie Group.

A novel combination of epirubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine and prednisone (EBVP II) was scheduled to reduce the toxicity of chemotherapy and to improve its application in treatment of Hodgkin's disease. This combination followed a previous regimen given every 15 days (EBVP I) by the same cooperative group. EPVP II is given every 21 days with increased dosage and increased intensity of epirubicin. This regimen was given to 100 consecutive patients with favourable or unfavourable limited-stage disease (clinical stages I-IIIA) excluding very favourable stages I and II and stages IIIB and IV. Such patients first received three injections of EBVP II and were then radically irradiated; those with unfavourable prognosis factors received three subsequent injections of EBVP II. The present analysis reports the early results of such treatment and considers particularly toxicity and the obtention of complete remission, which is pre-eminent for a cure. EBVP II was given in full dosage in 99% of the primary set of three injections. The main toxicity was alopecia and to a lesser degree nausea and vomiting and veinitis. Complete remission was obtained in 76 patients before radiotherapy and in 20 others after radiotherapy. With a median follow-up of 30 months 1 patient died from Hodgkin's disease, 9 are alive after relapse and 90 with no evidence of disease. This treatment appears to be as efficient as previous chemotherapy, well tolerated and particularly easy to give. It deserves further comparison with other proved regimens taking into consideration the survival and quality of life of patients.

Early phase of vincristine neuropathy in man. Electrophysiological evidence for a dying-back phenomenon, with transitory enhancement of spinal transmission of the monosynaptic reflex.

Ten patients with Hodgkin's disease were examined before and after each administration of vincristine sulfate (2 intravenous injections of 1.4 mg/m2 of body surface during the first week of each month for 3 months). The motor conduction velocity of the peroneal nerve, the conduction velocity in palmar sensory fibres of the median nerve, and the conduction velocity in the H reflex pathway remained unchanged. The amplitude of distal muscle (extensor digitorum brevis) and sensory nerve (median) potentials decreased, while the maximal response of more proximal muscles (soleus) was not significantly modified. The soleus T response quickly decreased, although at the same time the H response was increased in the days following administration of vincristine. Thus the T/H ratio seems to be the only convenient electrophysiological method of evaluating the functional impairment of primary afferent distal segments. These results show that vincristine induces a transitory excitability enhancement of the monosynaptic reflex. It is suggested that the drug may cause an increase in the firing rate in proximal segments of injured Ia fibres. Apart from this phenomenon the electrophysiological results lead to the conclusion that vincristine induces distal axonal degeneration, similar to that in other toxic neuropathies (e.g. acrylamide or n-hexane) where a dying-back process has been clearly demonstrated.

[New combination of epirubicine, bleomycin, vinblastine and prednisone (EBVP II) before radiotherapy in localized stages of Hodgkin's disease. Phase II trial in 50 patients]. / Nouvelle association d'épirubicine, bléomycine, vinblastine et prednisone (EBVP II) avant radiotherapie dans les stades localisés de maladie de Hodgkin. Essai de phase II chez 50 malades.

A new regimen of chemotherapy was used to reduce toxicity of EBVP I: the number of injections and the doses of bleomycin and vinblastine were reduced by half, the duration of treatment by third. Fifty patients with Hodgkin's disease stage I to IIIA, previously untreated, received three courses of this regimen before radiotherapy. Gastro-intestinal toxicity was similar and alopecia was more marked than with EBVP I. Immediate efficacy is similar, with 90% of complete remission and only one failure. This regimen is shorter and more intensive than EBVP I. It deserves larger comparison with previously used chemotherapy in a more extensive controlled trial.

[Psychosocial repercussions of the the treatment of Hodgkin's disease. Assessment by questionnaire with 150 patients]. / Retentissement psychosocial du traitement de la maladie de Hodgkin. Appréciation par questionnaire auprès de 150 malades.

One hundred and fifty patients, treated for Hodgkin's disease (stages I-IIIA) in a cooperative trial and remaining in complete remission after 2 to 7 years, answered a questionnaire dealing with psychosocial status and quality of life. Many informations were gathered and studied by multiparametric methods. Quality of life of patients appears determined by three kinds of parameters: patients' characteristics (age, sex, family and work status); stage of the disease determining the intensity and duration of treatment; practical conditions of treatment. These last parameters may be improved by therapeutic team and all care-takers to decrease bad consequences of disease and treatment and also to increase quality of life after cure.

[The combination of epirubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine and prednisone (EBVP) before radiotherapy in localized stages of Hodgkin's disease. Phase II trials]. / Association d'épirubicine, bléomycine, vinblastine et prednisone (EBVP) avant radiotherapie dans les stades localisés de la maladie de Hodgkin. Essai de phase II.

A new regimen of chemotherapy was used to reduce toxicity of ABVD: adriamycin is replaced by epirubicin and dacarbazine by prednisone. Thirty eight patients with Hodgkin's disease, stage I to IIIA, previously untreated, received three courses of this regimen before radical radiotherapy. Gastro-intestinal toxicity and alopecia appeared less marked than with ABVD. Immediate efficacy is similar with 80% of complete remission (one third observed at day 28) and only 2 failures. This regimen appears thus as a clear improvement in the treatment of patients with Hodgkin's disease and deserves larger comparison with previously used chemotherapy in a more extensive controlled trial.

[Data collection from patients treated for Hodgkin's disease. Relation to quality of life]. / Information des malades traités pour une maladie de Hodgkin. Liaisons avec la qualité de vie.

One hundred and fifty patients treated for Hodgkin's disease (stage I to IIIA) in a cooperative trial, answered a questionnaire dealing partly with their information, after 2 to 7 years of complete remission. This information appears insufficient for the majority of patients (52%), at least as far as treatment and its complications are concerned. There are many significant relations with other parameters which suggest that a good level of information may improve quality of life of patients. These observations tend to increase information of patients with Hodgkin's disease, provided it is adapted to each patient.

[Temporal artery syndrome in amyloidosis AL associated with myeloma]. / Syndrome de l'artère temporale au cours d'une amylose AL associée à un myélome.

The authors report a case of amyloidosis AL associated with light lambda chain myeloma, mimicking giant cell temporal arteritis. The normality of inflammatory proteins, the primary resistance to corcicosteroids and the results of temporal artery biopsy (amyloid deposits without giant cell granuloma) excluded a diagnosis of giant cell arteritis associated with amyloidosis. The most probable mechanism was infiltration of branches of the external carotid artery. In patients with temporal arteritis, amyloidosis must be suspected and sought, particularly in case of monoclonal dysglobulinaemia or manifestations that are not typical of giant cell temporal arteritis. The prognosis of vascular amyloidosis seems to be more favourable than that of the classical visceral types. The primary amyloidosis of these patients must be treated with melphalan combined with prednisone and colchicine.

[Study of the effects of isaxonine on retrograde axon degeneration induced by vincristine in man (author's transl)]. / Etude des effets de l'isaxonine sur les lésions de dégénérescence axonale rétrograde induites chez l'homme par la vincristine.

Fifteen patients with Hodgkin's disease were examined before and after each administration of vincristine sulfate (2 intravenous injections of 1.4 mg/m2 of body surface, during the first week of each month for 3 months). Moreover, each patient received daily, according to a double blind protocol, either 4 capsules of 375 mg of isaxonine, either 4 capsules filled with lactose used as placebo. At the end of treatment, analysis revealed that 8 subjects were given isaxonine and 7 the placebo. Motor, sensory and reflex conduction velocities, amplitudes of potentials evoked by stimulating motor, cutaneous sensory, or primary afferent fibres, were determined in each electrophysiological examination session. The data and pecularly those obtained from reflex studies, show a significant lesser degree of distal axonal degeneration, in patients receiving a placebo. These results support evidence for a protective effect of the drug against vincristine induced peripheral nerve lesions.

[Outcome, treatment and prognosis of Horton's disease]. / Evolution, traitement et pronostic de la maladie de Horton.

Precise information was obtained by a computerized analysis of the treatment, prognosis and clinical outcome of 108 representative cases selected from a series of 160 patients with Horton's disease (HD) diagnosed between 1970 and 1981. At the end of the study, 18 patients had died (16,6 p. 100), the commonest cause of death being a cerebrovascular accident. Death occurred during the first two years of the illness in half these cases. Despite these early complications of the disease, from a statistical point of view, the patients did not die of HD or the complications of its treatment. The 5 years survival rate 80,1 p. 100 (actuarial analysis). Most deaths were from natural causes; an intercurrent disease was often implicated; the lower probability of survival for men (69,9 p. cent at 5 years, compared to 85,4 p. cent for women) is compatible with the lower life expectancy which is well established. The roles of intercurrent disease and sex were statistically significant. On the other hand, there was no difference in the probability of 5 year survival when the different presenting of the disease, the terrain (HLA-DR4) and choice of corticosteroid therapy were compared. The initial dose of prednisone or prednisolone should exceed 0,5 mg/kg/day, if relapse is to be avoided. No additional benefits were observed with doses in excess of 1 mg/kg/day except in cases with complications from the onset (ocular, coronary insufficiency, stenosis of the main large arteries, without being able to prejudge their mechanism).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Relationship of histological subtypes to prognosis in early stage Hodgkin's disease: a review of 312 cases in a controlled clinical trial. The Groupe Pierre et Marie Curie.

To assess the prognostic significance of a newer histologic classification of Hodgkin's disease (HD), microscope slides from the time of diagnosis of 312 clinical stage IA or B, IIA or B and IIIA patients were reviewed in 1987, 6-10 years after their participation in a radiochemotherapeutic trial (1976-1982). Overall, the diagnostic reproducibility of the Rye classification by the same pathologist was confirmed. However, a new analysis showed an improvement in the differential diagnosis between HD and non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHL) by the identification of 24 NHL (8%) amongst the patients originally diagnosed as HD. Most of the NHL identified on review had been classified originally as mixed cellularity. On review, none of the new histological subtypes of HD was significant for prognosis of relapse-free survival or overall survival. Only identification of NHL was shown to have an independent prognostic value on relapse rate (P = 0.012) and on overall survival (P = 0.10). It is concluded that diagnosis of HD by itself remains, in 1988, the sole histologic factor influencing the prognosis of these patients.