Efficacy of VAMP chemotherapy without radiotherapy for stage I Hodgkin lymphoma

Abstract

The standard treatment for early-stage Hodgkin lymphoma (ESHL), either stage I or IIA without a bulky mass, comprises two to four courses of chemotherapy and involved-field radiation therapy (IFRT). To date, various chemotherapeutic regimens have been attempted for ESHL. In addition, omitting IFRT has been attempted to reduce late effects when a good treatment response is observed. We treated two pediatric ESHL patients with the VAMP regimen comprising vinblastine, doxorubicin, methotrexate, and prednisolone. Both patients achieved complete remission (CR), as confirmed by ¹⁸F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography, after two courses of the VAMP regimen, followed by two additional courses of the VAMP regimen without IFRT. Elevation of the levels of liver enzymes and neutropenia were the adverse events observed during treatment. Both patients maintained CR and did not develop late effects for more than four years after treatment. The findings of this study suggest that the VAMP regimen is safe for pediatric ESHL.