Hodgkin Lymphoma: Treatment Options

Hodgkin lymphoma is a highly curable form of cancer. Most people with Hodgkin lymphoma will receive combination chemotherapy, some with and some without radiation. Other treatments may include stem cell or bone marrow transplantation.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy for Hodgkin lymphoma often consists of giving multiple drugs together, called combination chemotherapy. Chemotherapies used in the treatment of Hodgkin lymphoma include:

• ABVD: Doxorubicin (Adriamycin, Rubex); Bleomycin (Blenoxane); Vinblastine (Velban, Velsar); and Dacarbazine (DTIC)
• Stanford V: Mechlorethamine (Mustargen); Doxorubicin (Adriamycin, Rubex); Vinblastine (Velban, Velsar); Bleomycin (Blenoxane); Etoposide (VP-16, VePesid); Prednisone (Deltasone); and Involved Field radiation
• BEACOPP: Bleomycin (Blenoxane); Etoposide (VP-16, Vepesid); Doxorubicin (Adriamycin, Rubex); Cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan); Vincristine (Oncovin); Procarbazine (Matulane); and Prednisone (Deltasone)

Targeted Therapy

Targeted therapy used in the frontline treatment of Hodgkin lymphoma includes:

• Brentuximab vedotin (ADCETRIS) + AVD [Doxorubicin (Adriamycin, Rubex); Vinblastine (Velban, Velsar); and Dacarbazine (DTIC)]

Radiation Therapy

Radiation may be combined with chemotherapy. Hodgkin lymphoma generally spreads predictably from one lymph node to another. When the lymphoma is confined to a specific area of the body, for example, the neck, involved-field radiation may be given, meaning the therapy is limited to a small area. When radiation therapy is given more broadly to larger common areas, it is called extended-field radiation.

Learn More

To learn more about HL, download the Hodgkin Lymphoma Fact Sheet. Want to talk to someone? For answers to lymphoma-related questions 
and resources, contact our Helpline at (800) 500-9976 or helpline@lymphoma.org.