Current Research

Research for Hodgkin lymphoma is ongoing. The following advances may still be under investigation in clinical trials and may not be approved or available at this time. Always discuss all diagnostic and treatment options with your doctor.

New scanning techniques. Newer scanning techniques, such as PET scanning, are being tested for initial staging of the disease, to help determine the disease’s response to treatment, and detect recurrence. Although many centers now use PET scans routinely in Hodgkin's disease, its exact role is still being defined. Clinical trials are in progress or are being designed to understand how to use PET scanning to get reliable information that can help with decisions about treatment.

New chemotherapy. New chemotherapy, combinations of chemotherapy, lower doses, and shorter schedules are being investigated in clinical trials to reduce short-term side effects and long-term health risks to patients receiving chemotherapy.

Immunotherapy. Immunotherapy (also called biologic therapy) is designed to boost the body’s natural defenses to fight the cancer. It uses materials either made by the body or in a laboratory to bolster, target, or restore immune system function. Some treatments involve antibodies that attach to proteins on the surface of cancer cells. Some antibodies have radioactive substances attached that will direct radiation therapy to the lymphoma (called radioimmunotherapy), and other antibodies direct drugs to the cancer cells.

Gene profiling. Some investigators are looking at the specific genes and proteins that are found in Hodgkin lymphoma. These genes and proteins provide more information about the behavior of Hodgkin lymphoma and new targets for chemotherapy or immunotherapy.

Other advances. Vaccine therapy is being studied to see if it helps the body’s immune system kill cancer cells. Stem cell transplantation is being studied in combination with various chemotherapy/immunotherapy regimens for new or recurrent Hodgkin lymphoma. Mini-allogeneic or allogeneic transplantation is being tested in combination with chemotherapy/immunotherapy for new or recurrent Hodgkin lymphoma. Several new types of drugs which work in a different way than chemotherapy are also being studied. Many of these are given in tablet (pill) form.