With timely treatment, about 94% kids with Hodgkin Lymphoma survive

Team L&M

A recent study supported by the National Society for Childhood Cancer, Cankids Kidscan, in association with the Indian Pediatric Oncology Group (InPOG), shows 94 per cent event free survival and 95.5 per cent overall survival for early-stage Hodgkin Lymphoma (HL) in Children with Cancer in India, comparable to most developed countries.

Lymphoma is a common cancer. India accounts for 4,800 cases are HL. This cancer begins in the lymph system, which is part of the immune system that helps the body fight infection and disease. The most common sites are in the chest, neck and under the arm. Usually, kids between 10–19 years age group are most affected by it. Also, it is more prevalent among boys than girls.

“The study also highlighted that unfortunately despite guidelines from the IAP and WHO to the contrary, about a third of patients with HL continue to receive treatment for tuberculosis empirically. InPOG and CanKids are now working to improve the outcomes of those who present with Advanced disease,” says Dr Amita Mahajan, Chair of InPOG Working Group on HL & a key investigator of the study.

In a study, Dr Sameer Bakhshi from IRCH, AIIMS, evaluated the long-term toxicities and late effects of the ABVD protocol (ABVD is a chemotherapy regimen used in the first-line treatment of Hodgkin lymphoma). As many as 154 pediatric HL survivors treated on ABVD were followed over a 10-year period for cardiac, pulmonary and thyroid function as well as secondary malignancies. The study results showed ABVD to be safe for children at 10-year short follow-up.

Cankids recently organised the First Fight Hodgkin Lymphoma India stakeholder meeting to define and draft the vision for Fight HL India -2025 and 2030. The webinar was attended by over 250 doctors, civil society members, parents and survivors of Hodgkin Lymphoma. On this occasion, a Patient Advocacy Group for HL “Harao LaseekaRog” headed by Hodgkin Lymphoma survivor Neha Saini was also launched.

“Better Survival rates would be achieved through better and uniform standards of care and treatment across the country. We have a goal to address this one cancer at a time,” says Poonam Bagai, Chairman Cankids, adding that Cankids is committed to support HL patients by enabling early detection, providing extended healthcare information, resource directories on sign & symptoms and all other associated details.