[Ten-year outcomes of lymphogranulomatosis treatment according to the protocol MOPP-ABVD+radiotherapy].

AIM: To analyse overall recurrence-free survival of lymphogranulomatosis (LGM) patients given polychemotherapy (PCT) MOPP (mustargen-caryolisin, vincristine, natulan, prednisolone) - ABVD (adriamycin, bleomycin, vinblastin, dacarbasin) in combination with radiotherapy (RT) for 10 years. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The trial included 211 LGM patients admitted to Hematological Research Center in 1990-1996 from other hospitals without random selection. The patients were examined by the standard program including biopsy of the affected organ or lymph node, bilateral trephine biopsy. Splenectomy was performed in 17 patients, 83 patients received PCT in other hospitals, 128 untreated patients received MOPP-ABVD therapy (3 courses of MOPP and 3 courses of ABVD). Forty one patients had defects in PCT, 16 of them rejected PCT and RT. The latter was performed 4 weeks after the 6th course, contraceptives were not prescribed to women. At LGM stage II-III RT was performed by the subradical program (no radiation to ilioinguinal lymph nodes) in doses 40-44 Gy on the foci and 32-36 Gy preventively, on massive and residual foci after PCT - 5-10 Gy additionally. RESULTS: Ten-year overall and recurrence-free survival in the untreated group reached 83 and 80%, respectively, for pretreated patients - 46 and 36%, respectively. Causes of death of 26 patients were LGM progression, infection (tuberculosis, as a rule), secondary tumors and acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML). After remission 25 women gave birth to a healthy child and 12 healthy children were born to 9 males. CONCLUSION: MOPP-ABVD plus radiotherapy program according to subradical and radical variants was in the past effective but invalidating rescue therapy. Present-day programs consider the histological variant, stage and prognostic factors allowing an individual therapeutic approach with step-by-step reduction of RT in the treatment of LGM patients. Involvement of the bone marrow in primary patients had no influence on the treatment results. This refers this affection not to a generalized stage IV, but to stage III along with involvement of the lymph nodes and the spleen.

[Needle biopsy in diagnosing primary mediastinal tumors]. / Puntsionnaia biopsiia v diagnostike pervichnoi mediastal'noi opukholi.

AIM: To assess the potential of biopsies with the thick cutting needle of anterior mediastinum tumor. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Biopsy with the use of the thick cutting needle (Baxter Healthcare Corporation, length 150 mm, thickness 2.5 mm, length of the cutting channel 20 mm) of a primary mediastinal tumor was made in 12 patients. RESULTS: The findings were the following: 8 cases of primary mediastinal B-cell lymphosarcoma, 1 case of T-cell lymphosarcoma with involvement of the mediastinum, 2 cases of thymic carcinoma, 1 case of pituitary tumor. Mediastinal puncture was controlled by ultrasound which secured accurate position of the needle and safe conduction of the puncture. CONCLUSION: Puncture biopsy with the thick cutting needle of anterior mediastinum tumor provides short duration of the diagnostic process and correction of the treatment policy.

[The 1st results of the combined therapy of recurrent and refractory forms of lymphogranulomatosis (polychemotherapy, radiation therapy and the removal of the residual mediastinal formation)]. / Pervye rezul'taty kombinirovannoi terapii retsidivnykh i refrakternykh form limfogranulematoza (polikhimioterapiia, luchevaia terapiia, udalenie ostatochnogo mediastinal'nogo obrazovaniia).

AIM: To achieve a maximal complete remission rate in patients with recurrent and refractory Hodgkin's disease. To find out a group of patients in whom surgical removal of the residual mediastinal mass would be most effective. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 46 patients with Hodgkin's disease received Dexa-BEAM chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy. Surgical removal of the residual mediastinal mass was made in 12 patients. RESULTS: Second-line Dexa-BEAM therapy produced a 50% complete remission rate. Overall survival was 45.5%, the disease-free survival--43.5%. Removed mediastinal masses were indicative of Hodgkin's disease in 7 cases and fibrosis in 4 cases. CONCLUSION: Dexa-BEAM is an effective program in the treatment of recurrent and refractory Hodgkin's disease. Surgical removal of the residual mediastinal mass with radiotherapy and high-dose chemotherapy improves prognosis in very unfavorable, primary progressive form of Hodgkin's disease.