Annals of Oncology 9:S103-S108, 1998
© 1998 European Society for Medical Oncology
Reviews |
New drugs in the treatment of Hodgkin's disease
Department of Internal Medicine I. University of Cologne Cologne, Germany
Correspondence to: P. Borchmann University of Cologne Department of Internal Medicine I Joseph-Stelzmann-Straβe 9 50924 Cologne Germany
In the treatment of Hodgkin's disease (HD) remission rates of 80% have been achieved with combination regimens such as COPP/ABVD; 30%–50% of these patients relapse, however, and less than 25% of those in first relapse can be cured. Although 90% of adults with advanced Hodgkin's disease (HD) achieve a complete remission with new polychemo-therapy regimens such as BEACOPP, it is too early to assess how many patients ultimately can be cured. In addition, these regimens are associated with severe side effects including infertility, cardiomyopathy or second malignancies. Thus, alternative strategies for improving the outcome of patients with HD have been developed. These approaches include new cytostatic drugs and biological agents. Here, we review the most recent developments including the new vinca alkaloid vinorelbine, the anthracycline idarubicin, the nitrogen mustard bendamustine, the recently developed nucleoside analogue gemcitabine, and immunotoxins against Hodgkin/Reed-Sternberg cells. We conclude that current polychemotherapy regimens could possibly be improved by introducing new agents with a different mechanism of action such as gemcitabine. In addition, some of these new drugs including gemcitabine or vinorelbine could contribute to the reduction of toxic side effects, thus resulting in an improved quality of life for patients with HD.
bendamustine, Hodgkin's disease, gemcitabine, idarubicin, immunotherapy, vinorelbine