Cancer Health Center
Adult Hodgkin Lymphoma Treatment (PDQ®) - Treatment Options for Adult Hodgkin Lymphoma
A link to a list of current clinical trials is included for each treatment section. For some types or stages of cancer, there may not be any trials listed. Check with your doctor for clinical trials that are not listed here but may be right for you.
Early Favorable Hodgkin Lymphoma
Treatment of early favorable Hodgkin lymphoma may include the following:
- Combination chemotherapy with or without radiation therapy to parts of the body with cancer.
- Radiation therapy alone to areas of the body with cancer or to the mantle field (neck, chest, armpits).
- Clinical trials of new combinations of chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy.
Check for clinical trials from NCI's PDQ Cancer Clinical Trials Registry that are now accepting patients with stage I adult Hodgkin lymphoma and stage II adult Hodgkin lymphoma.
Early Unfavorable Hodgkin Lymphoma
Treatment of early unfavorable Hodgkin lymphoma may include the following:
- Combination chemotherapy with or without radiation therapy to parts of the body with cancer.
- Clinical trials of new combinations of chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy.
Check for clinical trials from NCI's PDQ Cancer Clinical Trials Registry that are now accepting patients with stage I adult Hodgkin lymphoma and stage II adult Hodgkin lymphoma.
Advanced Favorable Hodgkin Lymphoma
Treatment of advanced favorable Hodgkin lymphoma may include the following:
- Combination chemotherapy with or without radiation therapy to parts of the body with cancer.
- Clinical trials of new combinations of chemotherapy.
Check for clinical trials from NCI's PDQ Cancer Clinical Trials Registry that are now accepting patients with stage III adult Hodgkin lymphoma and stage IV adult Hodgkin lymphoma.
Advanced Unfavorable Hodgkin Lymphoma
Treatment of advanced unfavorable Hodgkin lymphoma may include the following:
- Combination chemotherapy.
- Clinical trials of new combinations of chemotherapy.
- A clinical trial of high-dose chemotherapy and stem cell transplant using the patient's own stem cells.
Check for clinical trials from NCI's PDQ Cancer Clinical Trials Registry that are now accepting patients with stage III adult Hodgkin lymphoma and stage IV adult Hodgkin lymphoma.
Hodgkin Lymphoma During Pregnancy
Hodgkin Lymphoma During the First Trimester of Pregnancy
When Hodgkin lymphoma is diagnosed in the first trimester of pregnancy, it does not necessarily mean that the patient will be advised to end the pregnancy. Each patient's treatment will depend on the stage of the lymphoma, how fast it is growing, and the patient's wishes. For women who choose to continue the pregnancy, treatment of Hodgkin lymphoma during the first trimester of pregnancy may include the following:
- Watchful waiting when the cancer is above the diaphragm and is slow-growing. Delivery may be induced when the fetus is 32 to 36 weeks old so the mother can begin treatment.
- Radiation therapy above the diaphragm, with the fetus shielded.
- Systemic chemotherapy using one or more drugs.
WebMD Public Information from the National Cancer Institute
This information is produced and provided by the National Cancer Institute (NCI). The information in this topic may have changed since it was written. For the most current information, contact the National Cancer Institute via the Internet web site at http://cancer.gov or call 1-800-4-CANCER



