Clinical characteristics and treatment outcomes of pediatric Hodgkin lymphoma at a single center in Türkiye

INTRODUCTION: To review the 10-year experience of pediatric Hodgkin lymphoma at a single center in Türkiye.
METHODS: This study is a retrospective analysis of 82 pediatric Hodgkin lymphoma patients up to 18 years of age treated between 2009 and 2020.
RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 11 years (range 3–17 years), and 68% of the patients were male. The distribution of patients by stage was as follows: stage I, n=2 (2%); stage II, n=32 (39%); stage III, n=35 (43%); and stage IV, n=13 (16%). The trend in histopathology was predominantly mixed cellularity at 49%. The most common treatment protocol was ABVD (adriamycin, bleomycin, vincristine, doxorubicin), used in 83% of cases. The majority of patients (n=76, 93%) received involved-field radiotherapy following chemotherapy. Complete remission was achieved with first-line chemotherapy in 90% of cases. The 2-year overall survival (OS) and event-free survival (EFS) rates were 97.5% and 92%, respectively. There was no significant difference in OS and EFS in terms of gender, stage, and the presence of B symptoms.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Our data shows an excellent outcome for pediatric Hodgkin lymphoma, with results comparable to those of developed countries. Future studies should focus not only on treatment efficacy but also on identifying the best approaches to reduce long-term negative side effects.