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Posted by on Jun 5, 2018 in Hodgkin's lymphoma | 0 comments

In a nutshell

This is the first study to look at the development of both secondary cancers and cardiovascular disease (CVD) as late side effects of Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) treatment. The study concluded that there was an increased risk of developing both a secondary cancer and CVD in patients treated before 2000.

Some background

Hodgkin's Lymphoma patients are commonly treated with chemotherapy or radiotherapy (treatment with radioactive material). These options are effective but patients often experience late side effects of treatment. This means that patients develop side effects related to the treatment, years after it has finished. The development of secondary cancers (new cancerous tissues) or CVD (disease of the heart and blood vessels) are common late side effects of treatment. To date, studies have focussed on either secondary cancers or CVD individually. It is important to research if HL patients with both secondary cancers and CVD together, have a worse prognosis.

Methods & findings

This study assessed the development of secondary cancers and CVD in 2908 HL patients treated from 1965 to 2000. These were patients who had survived at least 5 years after receiving their HL diagnosis.Patients were followed for 22 years on average.

After 40 years, 68% of patients had developed secondary cancers or CVD. Seventeen percent of patients had developed both secondary cancers and CVD. After 15 years, patients who had developed a solid tumor had a 15% chance of developing a secondary cancer or CVD. Patients who had CVD were 31% more likely to develop another CVD than a secondary cancer. Radiotherapy had the greatest influence on whether a patient developed secondary cancers and CVD.

The bottom line

This study concluded that 40 years after receiving HL treatment between 1965 and 2000, 17% of patients developed both a secondary cancers and CVD as a late side effect of treatment. Patients that developed CVD were more likely to develop another CVD than a secondary cancer.

The fine print

This study included only Hodgkin lymphoma patients in the Netherlands; therefore the results may not be representative of patients elsewhere.

What’s next?

If you have questions about adverse events related to your HL treatment, please consult your doctor.

Published By :

British Journal of Cancer

Date :

Jan 30, 2018

Original Title :

High burden of subsequent malignant neoplasms and cardiovascular disease in long-term Hodgkin lymphoma survivors.

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