Recurrent Hodgkins Disease

Hodgkins disease is cancer that occurs in the lymph nodes or lymphatic tissue. If cells in the lymph nodes begin to grow out of control, they can cause surrounding tissues to compress. These out-of-control lymph nodes can spread throughout the lymphatic system. When this occurs, it is considered to be a lymphoma. Hodgkins disease is a specific type of lymphoma, diagnosed because of the appearance of the cells under a microscope. Recurrent Hodgkins disease involves the disease returning after the initial cancer is diagnosed and successfully treated. The recurrence may appear at the initial site of the cancer or elsewhere in the body.

Resistant vs. Recurrent Hodgkins Disease

Recurrent Hodgkins disease is distinct from resistant Hodgkins disease. Hodgkins disease which continues to grow while being treated is not considered to be recurrent Hodgkins disease. Recurrent Hodgkins disease specifically refers to Hodgkins lymphoma that returns after the initial cancer has gone into remission. The recurrence can occur within the lymph system, or at a distinct site, including the bones, bone marrow, liver or lungs.

Treatment

Treatment for recurrent Hodgkins lymphoma may be similar to treatment for primary Hodgkins lymphoma. Treatment can include chemotherapy, stem cell transplants or radiation for recurrent Hodgkins disease in children. The same therapies are generally recommended for recurrent adult Hodgkins lymphoma.

Preventing Recurrence

Although there is no clear information on preventing recurrent Hodgkins disease, the Oncology Link website states that early studies have shown that higher doses of radiation when a person is initially diagnosed may aid in preventing a recurrence (see Resources).

Follow-Up Testing

Generally, frequent follow-up screening is required after Hodgkins disease has been cured in order to ensure that it does not return. The follow-up tests may include CT scans or PET scans to ensure that the cancer has not returned at the original site or in other parts of the body. Generally, the longer a patient remains free of recurrence, the less the chance of recurrence. Thus, follow-up screenings can become less frequent as time passes.

Prognosis

A study of new treatments for recurrent Hodgkins disease at the Institute of Cancer Research in Surrey, England, showed that the five-year survival rate with those with recurrent Hodgkins lymphoma was 38 percent, and the 10-year rate was 23 percent. This was based on a study of 44 patients with recurrent lymphoma, who had initially been treated with chemotherapy and were subsequently treated with a salvage radiotherapy technique. The patients in the study were between the ages of seven and 80, with a median age of 32.

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