Fifty cases of Hodgkin's diseases in intravenous drug users (IVDU) have been collected by the Italian Cooperative Group on AIDS-related tumors (GICAT). in conclusion, Hodgkin's disease in IVDU was not found to be associated with unusual presentations, as previously reported in homosexuals. Complete remission could be achieved in over 50% of patients, but in IVDU non-opportunistic infections in addition to opportunistic infections may also limit treatment administration. The presence of parenchymal functional impairment due to drug use, or drug abuse-related infections, such as pneumonia, endocarditis and hepatitis, should lead to the choice of antitumors agents with no or only minor potential liver, lung and cardiac toxicity.
