Effect of extensive radiotherapy on the marrow granulocyte reserves of patients with Hodgkin's disease

The effects of high-dosage radiotherapy on the marrow granulocyte responses to both etiocholanolone and bacterial endotoxin were studied in 13 patients with untreated Hodgkin's disease. Widespread radiation therapy was found to have immediate suppressive effects on granulocyte mobilization, which increased when more extensive areas of the bone marrow were irradiated. Following the cessation of therapy, however, there was a progressive restoration to normal of the marrow granulocyte reserves over a 5-month period of time. Although greatly increasing the degree of immediate myelosuppression, the addition of prophylactic radiation (2000 rads) to the bone marrow of the pelvic area did not retard the reestablishment of normal marrow responsiveness. A possible explanation for this observation is discussed.