The Stanford experience with combined procarbazine, Alkeran and vinblastine (PAVe) and radiotherapy for locally extensive and advanced stage Hodgkin's disease.

This report describes the efficacy and toxicity of PAVe (procarbazine, Alkeran, vinblastine) and irradiation (RT) in the management of 159 patients with locally extensive or advanced stage Hodgkin's disease (HD) at Stanford University. Patients received six courses of chemotherapy alternating with RT. The extent of RT and the schedule of treatment varied according to the stage of disease. About 2/3 of patients received PAVe/RT in the setting of prospective, randomized clinical trials. The rate of complete response was 93%. With a median follow-up of seven years (range 2-17), the 15 year actuarial freedom from progression (FFP) is 78% and overall survival is 75%. Ten-year FFP by stage is: 80% for locally extensive stage II, 90% for stage IIIA and 70% for stage IIIB. Excellent and equal results were attained with PAVe/RT vs. MOP(P) (mustard, Oncovin, procarbazine with or without prednisone)/RT in the randomized combined modality studies. Progression or recurrence was documented in 30 patients and was more common in irradiated sites. PAVe was well tolerated acutely. There were no treatment related fatalities. Twenty-three (14%) patients were admitted to the hospital for neutropenic fever. Five second malignancies have occurred after PAVe/RT only: one myelodysplastic syndrome, one acute myelogenous leukemia, one non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and two solid tumors including a case of non-small cell lung cancer and an in situ carcinoma of the cervix. Three patients died from myocardial infarction several years after the completion of treatment. These mature data show that PAVe/RT is effective and well-tolerated therapy for locally extensive stage II and IIIA/B HD.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)