Latest Cancer TreatmentsDr. Mohammadreza Dabiri
Dr. Mohammadreza Dabiriفارسی
Treatment regimen

ABVD in Hodgkin lymphoma and AVD after a negative PET

Doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine and dacarbazine on days 1 and 15

Updated: 28 October 20261 min read2 references

Summary for doctors

  • Limited stage: 2 to 4 cycles with or without radiotherapy; advanced stage: 6 cycles.
  • After a negative PET following 2 cycles, omit bleomycin (AVD) [2].
  • Do not delay a cycle for afebrile neutropenia.

Dose and schedule

ABVD

Classical Hodgkin lymphomaCycle length: Every 28 days

Classical Hodgkin lymphoma

DrugDoseRouteSchedule
Doxorubicin25 mg/m²IVDays 1 and 15
Bleomycin10 units/m²IVDays 1 and 15
Vinblastine6 mg/m²IVDays 1 and 15
Dacarbazine375 mg/m²IVDays 1 and 15
Cycle length
Every 28 days
Duration
Depends on stage and PET; in advanced disease after a negative PET, cycles 3 to 6 as AVD

ABVD schedule [1]; PET adaptation as in RATHL [2].

Evidence: RATHL (2016)

Doses follow the trial protocol, guideline or official drug label (source given in the notes of each regimen). Before prescribing, check blood counts, renal and hepatic function, drug interactions and the patient’s condition, and adjust the dose according to the drug label.

Premedication and supportive care

  • Antiemetics: dacarbazine is highly emetogenic: NK1, 5-HT3 and dexamethasone.
  • Baseline pulmonary function tests before bleomycin; fertility preservation.
  • G-CSF is usually not needed, and cycles are not delayed for a low ANC without fever.

Monitoring and dose adjustment

  • Cough, dyspnoea or a fall in DLCO: stop bleomycin.
  • PET-CT after 2 cycles (Deauville scale).
  • Baseline echocardiogram; vinblastine neuropathy and constipation.

Main evidence

Show detailsHide

ABVD gave longer failure-free survival and less myelotoxicity than MOPP and became the standard [1]. RATHL: omitting bleomycin after a negative PET did not lower 3-year progression-free survival (84.4% vs 85.7%) and reduced pulmonary toxicity [2].

Related cancer types

Lymphoma

Treatment regimens (physicians)

R-CHOP regimen: dose, schedule and practical pointsPola-R-CHP in DLBCLBV-AVD in advanced Hodgkin lymphomaBR regimen (bendamustine and rituximab)

Physician tools and lessons

Cumulative Anthracycline Dose and Doxorubicin EquivalentsTumour Lysis Syndrome: Cairo-Bishop Criteria and PreventionKhorana Score (Cancer-Associated Thrombosis Risk)HCT-CI Comorbidity Index Before Stem Cell TransplantationIPI, R-IPI, NCCN-IPI and CNS-IPI Calculator for DLBCLFollicular Lymphoma International Prognostic Index (FLIPI) CalculatorInternational Prognostic Score (IPS) for Advanced Hodgkin LymphomaMantle Cell Lymphoma International Prognostic Index (MIPI) CalculatorIndications for haematopoietic stem cell transplantation, donor selection and conditioningGraft-versus-host disease (GVHD): prophylaxis, grading and treatment

References

2 references
Show all references, 1 with a study cardClose the reference list

Numbers in the text, such as [1], refer to these sources. Sources with a “Study card” button are summarised in the site’s evidence library.

  1. 1
    Chemotherapy of advanced Hodgkin's disease with MOPP, ABVD, or MOPP alternating with ABVDCanellos GP, Anderson JR, Propert KJ, et al · N Engl J Med · 1992;327:1478-84
    DOIPubMed Back to text: 1 2
  2. 2
    Adapted Treatment Guided by Interim PET-CT Scan in Advanced Hodgkin's LymphomaJohnson P, Federico M, Kirkwood A, et al · N Engl J Med · 2016;374:2419-29
    Study cardDOIPubMed Back to text: 1 2 3

This page is based on reputable scientific sources and was last updated on 28 October 2026. The content of this website is for educational and informational purposes only and does not replace consultation, diagnosis or treatment by a specialist physician. Consult your treating physician about any treatment decision.

Printed from the website; the full and up-to-date version: https://drdabiri.com/en/regimens/abvd/

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