Pediatric Hodgkin Lymphoma

Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) is one of the pediatric malignancies with excellent survival. It is fair to say that in the race to cure malignancies, HL was among the first to wear the “curable cancer” tag. Initial treatment regimens in children were similar to those used for adults, but the differential impact of long-term morbidities seen especially in children and young adults including secondary malignancies, permanent gonadal toxicity leading to infertility, and cardiotoxicity led to successive risk-based, gender-based, and response-based trials in children. From combined-modality treatment involving chemotherapy and radiotherapy to all, these trials have helped tailor treatment by reducing chemotherapy in lower-risk groups and avoiding radiotherapy in those children with good responses. Newer trials are ongoing, incorporating targeted agents in frontline therapy. Significant progress has also been achieved in the relapsed and refractory setting with improved survival.