This trial proposes a therapy for pediatric Hodgkin lymphoma with the objective of achieving high levels of long lasting complete remission with less risk of late effects.
Patients of both genders, between 2 and 18 years, with newly diagnosed classical Hodgkin lymphoma are admitted. An open surgical biopsy with histopatological diagnosis is preferred.
Initial staging provides stratification in three groups: low, intermediate and high risk. An initial set of two chemotherapy courses is administered to all cases after which an early disease response assessment is performed. According to disease response a final therapy group is assigned (7 arms).
Imaging with PET-CT and Deauville Score is preferred for initial and further disease assessment. Complete response is defined by volume reduction and metabolic remission. In case PET-CT is not available, CT and ultrasound with volume reduction standards to assess response may be used.
Rapid early responders who achieve complete remission (CR) benefit from less chemotherapy. Those who are in partial remission at the end of chemotherapy (late disease assessment) receive low dose (30Gy) involved node radiotherapy. At the end of chemotherapy, radiotherapy is delivered only to patients who do not achieve a CR. Thus, therapy is tailored according to initial extension and disease responsiveness. Complete responders at the end of chemotherapy do not receive radiotherapy. To avoid radiotherapy in the majority of cases constitutes a principal goal of this trial. Stable or progressive disease at any moment is assumed as a trial failure and new therapeutic strategies are offered to these patients off protocol.
Chemotherapy is based upon regimes with well known effectiveness in Hodgkin lymphoma. (i.e. ABVD: doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine and dacarbazine and ESHAP: Etoposide, methyl prednisolone, citarabine and cisplatin).
Low risk arms (Arms A, B and B2) receive no more than 4 cycles of ABVD. Intermediate risk Arm C, 5 cycles of ABVD and Arm D 4 cycles of ABVD and 2 courses of ESHAP. High risk Arm E receives 3 cycles of ABVD and 3 Cycles of ESHAP, Arm F receives 4 courses of ABVD and 4 courses of ESHAP. The schedules are delivered projecting low cumulative drug doses and avoiding the use of toxic alkylating agents. Risks of secondary leukemia and infertility are thus minimized. Doxorubicin and bleomycin do not achieve cumulative doses that may expose to significant risk of heart or lung damage. Radiotherapy reduction avoids late radiation sequels.
Cardiac, lung , thyroid and any other toxic effects are prospectively assessed at onset and regularly during and after therapy.
The main event-free and overall survival proportions end points will be analyzed annually during the following 10 years after the last patient registration.
This clinical study proposes a therapeutic approach based on chemotherapy that do not sum up high cumulative toxic doses. Therapy is tailored according to initial risk assessment and disease responsiveness. Those who achieve a complete response after chemotherapy do not receive additional radiotherapy, thus avoiding further late effects.
