Revolutionary new treatment regimen identified for pediatric Hodgkin's lymphoma

Rhode Island Hospital, home of Hasbro Children's Hospital (turn of the 20th century)*

Researchers at Hasbro Children's Hospital in Providence, RI have identified a revolutionary new treatment regimen for pediatric Hodgkin's lymphoma, the third most common cancer in children. Led by the director of pediatric hematology/oncology at Hasbro Children's Hospital, Cindy Schwartz, MD, the team of researchers developed a chemotherapy regimen that combined the effectiveness of dose-dense drug delivery with a reduction in long-term risks traditionally presented by high dose chemotherapy.

For many years, pediatric Hodgkin's lymphoma patients have been effectively treated with two standard chemotherapy regimens - MOPP (Mustargen, Vincristine, Procarbazine, and Prednisone), developed in the mid-1960's. and ABVD (Adriamycin, Bleomycin, Vinblastine, Dacarbazine), developed in the early 1970's. As Hodgkin's lymphoma was one of the first cancers for which a curative chemotherapy regimen was developed, further research has not been a priority. However, MOPP and ABVD left many patients with long term effects due to toxicity, including infertility, second malignancy and cardiopulmonary problems. The new regimen promises to be just as curative, while reducing these long-term effects.

Known as ABVE-PC, the new chemotherapy regimen combines six different drugs (Adriamycin, Bleomycin, Vincristine, Etoposide, Prednisone, Cyclophosphamide) into one "dose dense" regimen in hopes of limiting the cumulative doses of each individual drug, to minimize the long-term toxicity. The ultimate goal of the regimen is to reach a rapid early response (RER), which further reduces cumulative therapy and increases event-free survival (EFS). The regimen also incorporates low dose radiation following the completion of the chemotherapy cycles.

These findings have been published in the journal Blood (posted in an online first edition).

Hodgkin lymphoma (formerly known as Hodgkin's lymphoma), also known as Hodgkin disease, is the least common form of lymphoma. Researched more than any other type of lymphoma, 80% of cases can be cured. In 2008, over 142,000 Americans were living with Hodgkin lymphoma.