ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — A groundbreaking Hodgkin lymphoma study from the University of Rochester Medical Center showed a 92% survival rate with fewer side effects and reduced radiation therapy use. The study, funded by the National Cancer Institute, had around 1,000 enrolled patients and is the first study in the U.S. to include both pediatric and adult patients. Dr. Johnathan Friedberg, who led the clinical trial, says that in the 60s Hodgkin's Lymphoma was a death sentence. Now, the majority of patients are cured. But, Friedberg says, there are a few issues. Still, 20-25 percent of patients are not cured and need to get toxic therapy like radiation. Younger patients who have a longer life expectancy, are getting treatment that can cause significant late side effects. The trial gave one group the current treatment standard — a chemotherapy regimen called AVD along with another drug. The other set of patients got the same AVD chemotherapy but instead got an immune therapy, too. These drugs are not experimental, this is just the first large-scale study in terms of upfront treatment. Friedberg is optimistic the medical community will adopt the regimen quickly.   "The results really surprised us in how positive this was. Only one year in follow-up, the Data Safety Monitoring Committee recommended closing the trial early, because the signal was so great that the new regimen had improved efficacy compared to the old regimen," he said. "We anticipate that guidelines will rapidly change to recommend this as a preferred treatment option." Friedberg says he looks forward to correlative studies to predict why some patients aren't cured so that medical professionals may intervene earlier. He would also like to compare the drugs currently used as standard against those used in the trial.