Utilization of radiation for pediatric hodgkin lymphoma

Abstract

Pediatric Hodgkin lymphoma (PHL) remains one of the great medical success stories of the last century whereby a previously incurable malignancy is now cured in more than 85% of the cases with chemotherapy and radiation. Yet this success in curing PHL has led to the discovery of treatment-related toxicities among survivors decades after treatment, especially with regard to cardiac toxicity and secondary cancers. Consequently, the focus of research in PHL over the last 2–3 decades has been on finding ways to de-escalate therapy and reduce the risk of late toxicities while maintaining high cure rates. Herein, we present the basic epidemiology for PHL and the more recent clinical studies that have impacted the field. Additionally, we present a thorough explanation of modern treatment fields and the current implementation of involved-site radiotherapy in the management of PHL.