Hodgkin's disease in Jamaica: response to treatment

ABSTRACT

This paper reviews the response to treatment in 34 patients with Hodgkins disease studied at the University Hospital of the West Indies between January 1970 and June 1979. Ten patients (Stage IA to Stage IIIA) had radiotherapy with curative intent. Nine of these achieved complete remission (CR) and one had a partial remission (PR). No death was recorded in this group. The median survival in the 20 patients treated with MOPP chemotherapy was 23 manths. Only six of these patients achieved (CR), 3 percent of these having a disease-free-survival of 7 to 44 months up to the end of the period of observation. Twelve patients treated with MOPP achieved PR and had a median survival of 22 months. Two patients did not respond to treatment. The poor response to MOPP therapy was due to poor patient compliance. Two patients achieved CR on COP therapy, and one had a PR on single-agent therapy (AU)