 These treatment-related hematological malignancies peaked at 5 to 9 years after treatment for Hodgkin's lymphoma, and were associated with a dismally poor prognosis.Therefore, alternative regimens were tested in an attempt to avoid alkylating agents (such as mechlorethamine), which were thought to be responsible for many of the long-term side effects of MOPP.ABVD was developed as a potentially less toxic and more effective alternative to MOPP; the initial results of ABVD were published in an Italian thesis.