Evaluation of initial staging and treatment response for Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphoma patients — recommendations of the International Working Group from Lugano

Abstract

Current recommendations are discussed for initial evaluation, staging, and response assessment of patients with Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma; these having been established at the 12^th International Conference on Malignant Lymphoma in Lugano. As a result, fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) was formally incorporated into standard staging for FDG-avid lymphomas whereas CT is preferred for staging of FDG-nonavid lymphomas. A bone marrow biopsy is now no longer indicated for routine staging of HL and most diffuse large B-cell lymphomas. Routine surveillance scans are also discouraged.