COMPARATIVE EFFECTS OF VINBLASTINE AND PROCARBAZINE IN ADVANCED HODGKINS DISEASE

The authors analyze the responses obtained in a group of patients with generalized Hodgkin's disease in which a sequential chemotherapy with vinblastine-procarbazine has been administered. Patients before receiving vinblastine had been treated with radiotherapy and alkylating agents and with vinblastine before treatment with procarbazine. A 55·2% objective improvement for more than 1 month was obtained after treatment with vinblastine in 38 patients and 46·4% after procarbazine in 28 patients. The difference in the response rate is not statistically significant. At the doses administered procarbazine did not produce depression of bone marrow despite prior extensive and prolonged myelosuppressive treatment. The authors conclude that procarbazine even if administered after radiomimetic agents and vinblastine is an effective agent in the treatment of advanced Hodgkin's disease and that the number and the quality of regressions produced by this drug is comparable to those obtained with vinblastine. Sequential vs intensive combination chemotherapy in Hodgkin's disease is also discussed. © 1969.