Improved survival in the treatment of advanced hodgkin's disease at a nonuniversity institution (1970–1979)

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Abstract
From 1970 through 1979, 89 patients with Hodgkin's disease were treated at the Marshfield Clinic/St. Joseph's Hospital. After the pathologic Material was reviewed, the patients were analyzed to compare Group I (1970–1973) with Group II (1974–1979). Demographic characteristics in the two groups were similar. In the decade, 76% of patients achieved complete remission. In advanced‐stage disease, 50% of patients achieved complete remission in Group I compared with 68% in Group II. At 5 years, 50% of patients were alive without COPP (cyclophosphamide, vincristine, procarbazine, prednisone) chemotherapy; with this treatment, 75% of patients survived (P = 0.02). There was improved survival comparing Group I (56% at 5 years) with Group II (76% at 5 years) patients with advanced disease (P = 0.004). More aggressive combination chemotherapy (COPP) was related to the improvement in survival (P < 0.001). The advances in treatment Made by cooperative groups and universities are being transferred to nonuniversity institutions, with appropriate improvement in survival of Hodgkin's disease.