Socioeconomic status (SES) is a determinant of outcome in various types of cancer. The aim of this study is to analyze the impact of the SES in Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL). From 2001From to 2005 consecutive patients were prospectively followed in 5 institutions. Patients answered a questionnaire with a set of items used to determine the SES, and were then divided in 2 groups according to their SES score. There were 151 patients (78%) with a higher SES and 43 patients (22%) with a lower SES. The complete remission (CR) rate was 82%. Patients with a higher SES had a higher CR rate than those with a lower SES (85 vs. 72%, crude odds ratio 5 2.27, p 5 0.046). A lower SES and the performance status >1 were independently associated with a trend towards a lower CR, even when controlled for the other covariables of interest. Ten patients (5%) died during treatment. Death during treatment was associated with a lower SES (16 vs. 2%, p 5 0.001), a performance status >1 (p < 0.0001), a lower lymphocyte count (p 5 0.012) and weakly with a lower albumin level (p 5 0.065). With a median follow-up of 1.7 years, a higher SES was associated with a better 2-year overall survival (93 vs. 79%, p 5 0.01). In underprivileged countries, patients with a lower SES require a more careful monitoring during treatment, possibly with specific support measures. Regimens more intense than doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine and dacarbazine could pose a prohibitive risk of complications in this group of patients. ' 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Background. Over the last 15 years, a number of combination chemotherapy regimens have been reported to induce more than 80% complete remissions (CR) in patients with advanced Hodgkin disease (HD). Almost all such studies have been conducted in large institutions from North America and Europe. It remains to be proven, however, that those regimens are equally effective for the larger population of patients with HD who live in very different social conditions in third‐world countries. Methods. Fifty‐nine patients with advanced‐stage or early bulky HD were treated in two public hospitals with the C‐MOPP/ABV hybrid program, in which cyclophosphamide was substituted for mechlorethamine. Results. The median number of cycles administered was six, and the median follow‐up was 32 months. Fifty patients (85%) reached a CR. The actuarial failure‐free survival (FFS) rate was 69%, and the actuarial overall survival rate was 78% at 68 months. The only significant prognostic factor that predicted for improved FFS rate was the absence of B symptoms (P = 0.02). Overall survival was better for patients who reached a CR (P = 0.0003) and those with no systemic symptoms (P = 0.007). Toxic effects were moderate, with one treatment‐related death and six episodes of serious infection. Conclusions. The target population consisted of lower‐class Brazilians, many living in poor social conditions. Nevertheless, these results compare equitably with other results reported in the literature. C‐MOPP/ABV is an adequate treatment for HD in third‐world populations.

The role of bone marrow biopsy in the staging of Hodgkin's disease is undergoing reevaluation. We have studied the relationship of clinical factors to the presence of bone marrow involvement in 130 previously untreated patients with Hodgkin's disease. The presence of fever, spleen enlargement, anemia, leukopenia, poor performance status and poor histologic subgroups were positively correlated with the presence of bone marrow involvement in the univariate analysis. In the multivariate analysis, only fever, spleen involvement, leukopenia and poor histologic subgroups were significant. The predictive value of the absence of fever in regard to the absence of bone marrow involvement was 98%. The likelihood of bone marrow involvement in the absence of all four significant factors was only 0.05%. Patients without these clinical factors should probably not be submitted to a bone marrow biopsy as part of the staging procedures performed in Hodgkin's disease.

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