Dr Raheleh Rahbari, Wellcome Sanger Institute and co-lead author on the study, said: “This is an example of how genomics can impact lives and help change healthcare. Through the use of genome sequencing we’ve gained a deeper insight into the lasting effects of chemotherapies, allowing us to learn more about their role in long-term health, and make progress towards effective treatments that minimise side effects as much as possible.”
Dr Cathy Burton, Chair of the UK Hodgkin lymphoma study group, and Haematology Consultant at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “This excellent work provides strong evidence of the benefits of using eBEACOPDac for treatment of Hodgkin lymphoma. This approach of switching procarbazine to dacarbazine is preferable due to its reduced side effects and improvements in fertility recovery. Crucially, these findings are of international significance and should be used to inform treatment guidelines globally to ensure patients are receiving the best treatments.”
This work is illustrative of the benefits that can be delivered through the effective translation of research into clinical practice, which will be further strengthened through the new Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital. The next steps for this research will include more long-term follow up of patients treated with eBEACOPDac, and Professor Follows hopes it will inform a global change in the guidance for treating adults with Hodgkin lymphoma.