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Treatment of Recurrent Classic HL
Source: Hodgkin Lymphoma Treatment (PDQ®)–Health Professional Version, National Cancer Institute.
Source updated: February 12, 2025 · Captured 2026-09-09.
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More than one-half of all patients with recurrent Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) can achieve long-term disease-free survival (DFS), or even cure, using reinduction therapy followed by stem cell/bone marrow transplant consolidation.[1] In this regard, the disease follows a 75% rule: 75% of patients attain a clinical complete remission with salvage therapy reinduction, and then 75% of patients who undergo autologous stem cell transplant (SCT) are free of disease at 4 years. Poor prognostic factors include:[2-4]
Primary refractory disease (worst prognosis).
Relapse less than 12 months after initial therapy. Among patients who initially present with early-stage favorable disease that relapses, more than 75% have a relapse more than 12 months after diagnosis.[5]
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Inability to attain a clinical complete remission after reinduction (i.e., positron emission tomography‒computed tomography [PET-CT] scan results are positive with a Deauville score of 4 or 5 followed by subsequent progression in the size and/or sites of disease).
B symptoms at relapse.
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Extranodal disease at relapse.
More than two previous salvage regimens received.
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