Haema 2012; 3(3): 231-238
by Ioannis Georgakopoulos1, Evangelia Peponi2, Miltiades Trichas1
1Radiation Oncology Center, IASO Hospital, 2Radiation Oncology Department, Ioannina University Hospital
Abstract
Radiation therapy plays an important role in the management of Hodgkin Lymphoma. In combination with chemotherapy its role is irreplaceable as seen in many trials in relative literature. An important issue in clinical practice is the additive toxicity of the two procedures. Regarding radiotherapy, total dose, extent of radiation field and treatment technique are the most important parameters that affect the outcome. Large fields of radiotherapy (mantle, mini mantle, total or subtotal lymphoid irradiation) have been replaced initially by more localized treatment fields (IFRT – Involved Field Radiation Therapy) and nowadays by more targeted therapies (INRT – Involved Node Radiation Therapy). Newer sophisticated techniques of radiotherapy (IMRT – Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy, IGRT – Im- age Guided Radiation Therapy and PBRT – Proton Beam Radiation Therapy) ensure more accurate delivery of radiation to target volume and reduce further more acute and late toxicity, which is of extreme importance in Hodgkin’s lymphoma, as it concerns mainly young adults with curable disease and long life expectancy.