Outcome of Very Late Relapse in Patients with Hodgkin's Lymphomas

Abstract EN

Recurrences of Hodgkin's Lymphoma (HL) 5 years after the initial therapy are rare.

The aim of this study is to report a single centre experience of the clinical characteristics, outcome, and toxicity of pts who experienced very late relapses, defined as relapses that occurred 5 or more years after the achievement of first complete remission.

Of 532 consecutive pts with classical HL treated at our Institute from 1985 to 1999, 452 pts (85%) achieved a complete remission.

Relapse occurred in 151 pts: 135 (29.8%) within 5 years and 16 over 5 years (3.5%, very late relapses).

Very late relapses occurred after a median disease-free interval of 7 years (range: 5–18).

Salvage treatment induced complete remission in 14 pts (87.5%).

At a median of 4 years after therapy for very late relapse, 10 pts (63%) are still alive and free of disease and 6 (37%) died (1 from progressive HL, 1 from cardiac disease, 1 from thromboembolic disease, 1 from HCV reactivation, and 2 from bacterial infection).

The probability of failure-free survival at 5 years was 75%.

The majority of deaths are due to treatment-related complications.

Therapy regimens for very late relapse HL are warranted to minimize complications.