Autologous Bone Marrow Transplantation - Blog Science Connections

Hodgkin's Disease
J. O. Armitage and S. Jagannath, Chairmen
DR. S. JAGANNATH: Are there any specific questions for Dr. Goldstone?
DR. K. DICKE: Tony (Dr. Goldstone), you mentioned in one of your slides
the possibility of complete remission after failing frontline chemotherapy. And
then in your last slide you mentioned that the indications for bone marrow
transplantation are immediately after failure of the alternating ABVD-MOPP
program. In my opinion, that is contradictory.
DR. A. "TONY" GOLDSTONE: The first slide you are alluding to showed the
subgroup that goes easily into complete remission (CR) after failure from MOPP
alone and those should be left alone because their ultimate prognosis is good.
This is the difference between Hodgkin's disease and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
(NHL) in this regard because the Hodgkin's disease will still have a good
prognosis at that stage and the NHL will not. I am not certain of the ultimate
prognosis because I don't have the data of a large group of ABVD-MOPP
induction patients; however, 1 suspect that the long-term survival of failures to
alternating frontline chemotherapy on any sort of salvage regimen would be
approximately 15-20% maximum. This first slide has to do with MOPP failures
only.
DR. JAGANNATH: Any other questions for Dr. Goldstone?
DR. H. VRIESENDORP: Dr. Goldstone, have you looked at the influence of
the involvement of bone marrow at initial presentation or at relapse on survival
of these patients?
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