The Stanford V regimen is effective in patients with good risk Hodgkin lymphoma but radiotherapy is a necessary component

One-hundred and thirteen patients between the ages of 15 and 88 years with biopsy proven, untreated Hodgkin lymphoma were treated by physicians in the Nebraska Lymphoma Study Group using the Stanford V regimen (bleomycin, doxorubicin, etoposide, mechlorethamine, prednisone, vinblastine and vincristine) between January 1997 and January 2006. With a median follow-up of all surviving patients of 63 months, the 5-year overall survival (OS) was 84% and the 5-year progression-free survival (PFS) was 74%. Age >60 years, other than nodular sclerosing histological subtype, Ann Arbor Stage III/IV, and the presence of B-symptoms significantly predicted treatment outcome. Patients with 0-2 of these factors had a 5-year PFS and OS of 80% and 89% vs. 20% and 40% for patients with 3 or 4 factors. Patients who received radiotherapy had a superior 5-year PFS (86% vs. 42%) and OS (96% vs. 53%). Patients with 0-2 adverse risk factors who received radiotherapy had an excellent treatment outcome with 5-year PFS of 88% and a 5-year OS of 97%. The Stanford V chemotherapy regimen has an excellent treatment outcome for good prognosis patients with Hodgkin lymphoma. The results are compromised when radiotherapy is not utilized.